The Vuze torrent client, formerly known as Azureus, has been around for ages. And it’s still got a dedicated fan base, whether they’ve old school fans or first downloaded the program recently.
But is Vuze any good? And how does it compare to other top torrent clients?
Find out in our detailed Vuze review.
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Vuze Review: Advantages
We’ll start with the good. Here are the top advantages of using the Vuze torrent client.
Tons of Options and Plugins
Whether you want to control your download and upload speeds, daily bandwidth, or just load your client up with a bunch of plugins, Vuze can make it happen.
It’s one of the more feature rich torrent clients in the business, with a whole host of plugins available.
Free Android App
Have you ever wished you could torrent right from your smartphone? Or maybe you’d just like to manage your PC downloads on the go?
Vuze’s Android app makes that possible. Like the full software, there is a paid version that you can upgrade to, but it’s not necessary for basic torrenting features. Just keep in mind that the app hasn’t been updated since 2016.
Unique Security Features
Not only does Vuze provide SOCKS5 proxy support, but it also offers a couple unique security features for a torrent client, which are its Tor integration and ability to bind the client directly to a VPN.
Vuze Review: Disadvantages
So, now that we’ve covered the pros, let’s take a look at the cons. Here are the things we don’t like about Vuze.
Ads and Bloatware
Vuze comes in both a free and a paid “Plus” version. While the free version allows you to do most things that you’d want to do, lacking only a few minor bonus features, the UI has a big ol’ ad in the left corner. Ugh.
Like uTorrent and BitTorrent, Vuze also tries to saddle your computer with bloatware when you install.
No Updates in Years
Many torrent vets actually argue that Vuze is “dead”. Why? Because the software hasn’t received an update since 2017, when its original developers moved on to an open-source version of the software, called BiglyBT.
Of course, you can still use Vuze, but its future is in doubt. Plus, it’s more resource intensive than many other torrent clients.
Not Open Source
Vuze’s lack of updates is even more notable because it’s closed source, so other devs aren’t able to step in and check or modify the code, unlike Deluge (which also hasn’t been updated in years). Closed source software is also considered inherently less safe than open source.
Best Vuze Alternatives
If you still have doubts about Vuze, these top alternatives are worth a look.
1. qBittorrent
qBittorrent may lack some of the features found on Vuze, but it’s a longstanding favorite among torrenters due to its reliability and usability. Check out our qBittorrent review for more info.
2. BiglyBT
BiglyBT was created by the original Vuze developers and is a “fork”, meaning it’s almost identical to Vuze in features. But it’s also free, open source, and still receiving updates, unlike Vuze.
3. uTorrent
uTorrent has many of the same disadvantages as Vuze – including ads for free users, bloatware, and being closed source – but it’s still receiving updates and is much more popular. Learn more in our full uTorrent review.
Vuze Review: Is Vuze Safe for Torrenting?
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: no torrent client, when used on its own, is safe for torrenting.
Vuze makes a notable effort with its Tor integration. But there’s a problem: Tor isn’t for torrenting. Not only do the developers ask users not to torrent on their network, since it can’t handle the load, it’ll drastically decrease your download/upload speeds.
Instead, we’d recommend pairing Vuze with a good torrenting VPN. Fortunately, Vuze makes that really easy, with its option to “bind” the client to a VPN so that torrent traffic won’t leak even if your connection drops.
By the way, we don’t recommend Vuze’s VPN, as it’s a little overpriced for the security and features it offers. Our favorite torrenting VPN, PIA VPN, provides a lot more bang for your buck. And it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Vuze Review: Wrap-Up
So, we’ve gone through the most notable advantages and disadvantages of the Vuze torrent client, from its plethora of features to its lack of updates.
With that in mind, would we recommend it?
To be honest… not really. For starters, many torrent users would argue that other clients, like qBittorrent, are simply better than Vuze. And even if you really like the features that Vuze offers, there’s BiglyBT, which offers all of the same pros without any of the cons.
But hey, we’re always open to disagreement. If you’re a Vuze fan, let us know in the comments!