Zbigz

Introduction

 Today, torrenting looks rather different than it did even 10 years ago. It is a much larger, more streamlined, heavier protected enterprise than it once was. That doesn’t mean that torrents themselves have changed all that much. The core tenants of P2P file sharing, more or less, has been the same for quite some time. Instead, what has changed most notably is the concentration of possibilities that we have at our fingertips. There are, in other words, myriad different torrent sites and torrent clients nowadays for making torrenting the fastest and most convenient process it can possibly be.

As somebody who has been torrenting for quite some time, having started about 15 years ago, what stands out most in my mind about the earliest days of torrenting is BitTorrent. It is true. Once upon a time BitTorrent was the king of the torrent client dominion. This, of course, was a simpler time … a time when BitTorrent was basically the one and only torrent client we had available to us.

Nowadays, however, things have changed quite drastically. The pool of competition for the best torrent client is much larger than it used to be. And new features and types of torrent clients are being introduced all the time. Some say it may just be a matter of time before BitTorrent – which was once the be all, end all of torrent clients – and torrent clients like it could go extinct.

The way, though, to figure out which torrent client is going to be best for you is to first figure out what it is exactly that you hope to get out of your torrent client. What features do you require? Do you prefer a torrent client that is lightweight and easy on your hard drive, or one that is robust, hefty, and offers up a top-notch performance. Well, thanks to innovative software such as uTorrent, there are now torrent clients which can provide fast and efficient torrent downloads while taking up a fraction of your computer’s memory.

Based on the ideas brought forth by torrent clients such as uTorrent and Deluge, creating the most streamlined, lightweight, and features-rich torrent clients have become the goal. In fact, many torrent client developers have decided to ditch the software model all together. Instead of offering computer programs which, of course, still take up space (even the smallest, least invasive ones on the market), these torrent client developers have turned to online web browser-based torrent clients. That’s right, no software necessary.

It doesn’t get any more lightweight or economical than that, does it? It’s like having a torrent client without having a torrent client at all. Plus, these sites seek to make torrent search engines irrelevant as well. Sites like these offer every step of the torrenting process in one convenient location. uTorrent, too, has caught onto this new trend already, offering a web version of their iconic torrent client to keep up with the competition.

This new direction for torrent clients has paved the way for dynamic new ways to download torrents, such as the site we will be looking at today, Z Bigz. Z Bigz has so much to offer if you are willing to embrace a completely private web-based torrent client that is capable of bypassing your ISPs restrictions. But that is not all that Z Bigz is capable of.

Does Z Bigz have what it takes to become your new go-to torrent client? Or does it have too many limitations, enough to warrant passing on it completely? Well, let’s dive in and take a look at all of the other features available to you if you take advantage of Z Bigz, shall we?

 Design

 When it comes to a torrent client that is entirely browser-based, web design becomes extremely important. Sure, it is always an important aspect to a quality site, but when your entire torrent client is going to exist within your website, extra emphasis and attention to detail must go into your site design. Your site needs to be operating on several levels. Traditional torrent client sites have a little more leeway, in other words, because you are just using them to learn about the client program and then, potentially, to download the software.

Web-based torrent client sites, however, need to not only offer great baseline site design, they also must offer great in-browser torrent client design. Both of which needs to be intuitive, user-friendly, and easy to navigate. Both aspects need to be aesthetically pleasing. You are basically trying to imitate software with web design … a much harder task to pull off than it may sound like.

I am happy to report, though, that Z Bigz has anticipated this potential issue and has provided astounding site design on both crucial levels of functionality. Not only is the baseline site design of Z Bigz great – it is easy to browse, intuitive to figure out how to use and what Z Bigz is, and allows for a quick and convenient sign up – but the actual torrent client aspect of Z Bigz is also efficient and well-designed.

All you have to do is search for the file you are looking for, click the “add” button, and wait for the torrent to download, without ever leaving your tab. As you add files (download them), your free indie content will automatically be organized and new menu items on the left-hand side of the page will be added. When you download a free indie song, for instance, a menu item will be added called “audio files.” Add an open-source software file and watch an “applications” folder be added. I love the intuitive and automated nature of Z Bigz. It’s smart, effective, fast, and it looks good on top of all that.

Content and Features

 Just about anything that you could need to do related to torrenting can be done on Z Bigz. As I said before, this site seems to want to be a one-stop shop for all of your torrenting needs. Search, download, organize your files, upload torrents, etc. In addition to all of that, though, you are also not limited to just the files that Z Bigz has available. Copy and paste any torrent or magnet link into the search bar and let Z Bigz automatically execute your download. It could not be any easier.

This is probably how I would end up using Z Bigz the most, personally, by copying and pasting torrent links from other sites. I am not a huge fan of Z Bigz’s search engine. It is very sensitive … you need to type in precisely what you are looking for in order to find it – it does not leave much room whatsoever for browsing. If you are anything like me, chances are, at least from time to time, you are not looking for something super specific to torrent. Maybe you just want to browse, discover new music, see what movies or shows are out there that you maybe forgot about or have never heard about. As far as a search engine is concerned, Z Bigz might have some work cut out for themselves.

And this is where Z Bigz really starts to not look quite so appealing. It may have a few too many limitations for its own good. Unless, of course you are willing to pay.

Pricing and Plans

 To get the most out of Z Bigz, do not expect to use the free version. In fact, you are going to, at the very least, register as a user to start downloading. If you are a guest, you can download one file at a time, with a max of 100 mb file size. As a registered free user, this is increased to 1 GB. Still not a huge amount if you are a serious file sharer.

As a premium user, however, the possibilities become endless. You can upload files directly to your Google Drive account, making for an entirely streamlined experience and access to your torrents no matter where you happen to be. Ads, of course, are eliminated. And you will have no storage, download, speed, or upload caps. In other words, in order to enjoy the basic features of most free downloadable torrent clients, you have to pay to be a premium member of Z Bigz. There are a few premium payment options, depending on your level of commitment:

5 days: $5.99

1 month: $9.99

3 months: $25.99

6 months: $49.99

1 year: $99.99

Suggestions that I have for Z Bigz

 Well, my biggest complaint is, as I said, just how limited Z Bigz is for free users. In order to seriously consider using Z Bigz as my new go-to torrent client, they would have to at least offer the same basic features of, say, BitTorrent for free. In other words, unlimited downloads, uploads, and storage space.