Vuze

Introduction

 Welcome to the wonderful world of torrenting! Whether you are just starting out in your journey to becoming a torrenting expert, or you have been downloading torrents for years now, there is always more to learn about the process. No matter what experience level you happen to be at with torrenting, though, one thing’s for sure … you definitely came to the right place for all of your torrenting needs.

TorrentSites is a site that is entirely unique – it is the first fully comprehensive list of all of the best torrent related sites on the web. Any and every site you could ever need is conveniently organized and separated by type; plus, each one comes with its own thorough and helpful review to assist you in finding out which torrent resources are perfect for your unique goals.

 That means that, in addition to being able to help you decide on which torrent client is the best match for you, I will also be able to assist you in finding out which torrent search engines you need, as well as what additional software might help make your torrent downloads go as smoothly (and safely) as possible. Whether you are interested in downloading free indie movie torrents, TV shows, video games, software, eBooks, anime, or anything else, TorrentSites has you covered.

Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves, though. Your first order of business, before you can even start browsing my list of all the best torrent search engines is to find yourself the perfect torrent client. However, before we can delve into the specifics of one of the most popular torrent clients out there, Vuze, we must first ask an even more fundamental question: what even is a torrent client? And what makes one torrent client better than the others?

First off, a torrent client is a piece of software that you download on your computer (or your phone if your client of choice has a complimentary app available) that allows your torrent downloads to be executed. In fact, without a torrent client, a torrent search engine is just as good as useless. To put it another way, sites like The Pirate bay exist to help you track down and locate the torrents that you are interested in. Once you click download on a file, your torrent client will take care of the rest.

The best torrent clients, then, help you to keep track of numerous torrent downloads at one time. And in 2020, torrent clients have really upped their game, meaning that you should also be looking for a torrent client that allows you to stream movies, TV shows, and music while the file is still downloading. They often also come with a built-in media player that allows you to access your files, too, once the download is completed. Ideally, the best torrent clients take up as little space and memory on your computer as possible while also downloading files as quickly and efficiently as can be.

Going one step further, though, many torrent clients also offer services that help to keep you safe while torrenting. Although torrents often get a bad rep for being a dangerous way to access content, they are just as safe as streaming on Netflix if you take the right precautionary measures to ensure your safety. And the best torrent clients can help you get there with no additional software necessary.

That being said, the torrent client that we will be looking at today is one that has made quite a splash over the last few years. There is a good chance that you have heard of BitTorrent – for many years it was considered to be the end all, be all of torrent clients. Well, Vuze is one of the newer clients that is really giving BitTorrent a run for its money these days. Is Vuze the best torrent client for 2020? Well, let’s dive in and take a look, shall we?

 History

 Vuze first launched under a different name: Azureus. In June of 2003, Azureus was released on Sourceforge.net. Named after the blue poison dart frog (Dendrobates Azureus), this frog is still Vuze’s logo to this day.

Azureus grew over the years. And in 2006, Vuze was released by a group of Azureus’ original developers as an attempt to add a social component to the software. During Vuze’s beta period, the company released both Vuze and a Vuze-free version of the original Azureus program. Although there were initially differences in vision within the company and several versions of Vuze and Azureus were released separate from one another, eventually the two programs were officially merged, resulting in the Vuze we know of today, with Azureus still existing in user-modified versions (which can be found on The Pirate Bay).

 Design

 Vuze has a very sleek, fresh, and modern appearance. If BitTorrent looks like the classic torrent client that we are all very familiar with, Vuze looks like the torrent client of the future. However, somehow Vuze has managed to look brand-new and exciting without becoming inaccessible. That means that the Vuze design will be perfect for torrent lovers of any level, whether you are just getting started or you have been torrenting for decades.

I think that Vuze manages this by offering what is essentially the same layout used in BitTorrent, but cast in an upgraded, sleeker skin. Something about the sky-blue and gray theme gives the program a bit of a more lighthearted and whimsical feel (while still looking cutting edge and technical). If BitTorrent’s aesthetic is all business, Vuze (poison dart frog logo and all) has managed to imbue a bit of fun to the process of torrenting.

Other than that, though, you’ll find the classic tried and true design of a high-caliber torrent client, with a tree menu of items on the left and a download manager on the right. A perfect blend of classic utilitarian efficiency and style.

 Content and Features

 This is where Vuze really separates itself as a wholly unique and very powerful torrent client. Vuze is second to none when it comes to user features. First of all, Vuze offers 3 tiers of user experience: Beginner, Intermediate, and Expert. All levels get the job done, but the more advanced levels allow for additional features to be unlocked, such as proxies, tracker running, and the ability to specify downloads for only preselected peers. Another note for more advanced users: Vuze is one of the few torrent clients that is compatible with the Tor browser – so, privacy possibilities are boundless on this client.

Another feature that I love about Vuze is the fact that you can search and discover torrent files without ever having to leave the software interface. That means that, for many files, you won’t even need to use a third-party torrent site – simply search and download within the program, as you would in older P2P programs like Napster or Lime Wire.

Oh, and did I mention the built-in media player? A nice touch, indeed.

 Mobile and Desktop Experience

 For mobile torrent downloaders, I have some good news and some bad news. Shall I start with the bad news? Okay, iOS users, I’m sorry, there is no Vuze app on the Apple App Store. At least not yet. The good news, however, pertains to Android users … Vuze does have a very capable and effective Android app. Here, you can download torrents directly to your mobile device or remote control download to your computer while you are out – making Vuze one of the most mobile-friendly torrent clients on the market (for Android users).

 Pricing and Plans

 Vuze is a freemium software. The free version, of course, comes with ads and certain limitations. For those who wish to upgrade to Vuze Premium, though, you can do so for about $15 a year. Premium Vuze members receive access to the following extra features:

-DVD burning

-Antivirus software

-Stream files while downloading

-Ad free experience

 Suggestions that I have for Vuze

 The one disappointment concerns the sneaky software bundles. So, pay close attention as you download in order to avoid potentially unwanted software that automatically download along with Vuze (such as its annoying browser toolbar.

Oh, and an app for iOS would be perfect. iPhone users like to torrent too, you know!