BitTorrent client

A BitTorrent client is a program that downloads files using the BitTorrent protocol.

The first client was created by Bram Cohen in the summer of 2002, and most of the other ones started out from BitTorrent and on, even more are being created right now.

The following tables compare general and technical information for a number of applications supporting BitTorrent. Please see the individual products' articles for further information. This article is neither all-inclusive nor necessarily up-to-date.

BitTorrent client	FOSS	Runs on			IPv6[1]	Super-seeding	Tracker	Supports						Language			Cache [2]	Supports						Engine		NOTES / Other
		Linux or Unix	MS Windows	Apple OSX				UPnP[3]	NAT		DHT [4]	Peer exchange	Encryption					BitTorrent#Web seeding [5]	Broadcatching (RSS)			SOCKS
									NAT Port Mapping Protocol	NAT traversal
ABC	Yes	S	Yes	No	S	No	Yes	Yes	?	No	No	No	No	Python	BitTornado	GUI and web	?	Yes	No	Yes	No	?	Yes	Separate download	?	Linux version = old version + Buggy IPv6 [6]
Acquisition	No	No	No	Yes	?	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	?	No	Objective-C and Cocoa	Limewire	GUI	?	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	?	Partial3 torrents max, infinity when registered
Anatomic P2P	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	S	Yes	?	?	?	?	No	Python	BitTornado	GUI and old CLI	?	Yes	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	Tracker exists as a separate download
Arctic Torrent	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	?	No	No	Yes	No	[[C++]]	libtorrent	GUI	?	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	?
Azureus	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes[7]	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes[8]	Yes[9]	Yes	Yes	Java and SWT	-	GUI, CLI, Telnet, Web, XML over HTTP remote control API	Yes	Yes[10]	Plugin	Yes	Yes	Yes	Plugin[11]	3rd party plugins	Yes
BitComet	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	S	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[[C++]]	?	GUI	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Built-in Web browser	Yes	Adware + Tracker exists as a separate download
BitFlu	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	Perl	-	Telnet and Web	S	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No built-in Cache-Disk cache but a Delayed commit
BitLet	planned	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Java and JavaScript	-	Web XHTML	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Completely web based client
BitLord	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	?	Yes	No	Yes	No	[[C++]]	BitComet	GUI	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Built-in Web browser	Yes	Adware
BitPump	No	No	Yes	No	No	?	?	No	?	?	?	?	?	[[C++]]		GUI	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
BitTornado	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes[12]	Yes	?	No	No	No	Yes	Python	BitTorrent	GUI and CLI	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
BitTorrent / Mainline	Yes	Yes	Yes	Old version	No	No	Yes[12]	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Python		GUI and CLI	?	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
BitTorrent 6	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes [13]	Yes	[[C++]]	µTorrent	GUI and CLI	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
BitSpirit	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	?	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	[[C++]]	BitComet	GUI	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Bits on Wheels	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	?	?	No	?	No	Objective-C and Cocoa	-	GUI	?	?	?	?	No	?	No	?	?
BitTyrant	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes[7]	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes[14]	Yes[15]	Yes	Yes	Java and SWT	Azureus	GUI, CLI, Telnet, Web, XML over HTTP remote control API	Yes	Yes[16]	Plugin	Yes	Yes	Yes	Plugin[11]	3rd party plugins	Yes
Blizzard Downloader	No	No	Yes	Yes	?	No	No	No	?	No	No	No	No	?	BitTorrent client for early version	GUI	?	No	No	No	No	?	No	No	?
Blog Torrent	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	?	?	Yes	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	BitTorrent client for early version	GUI	?	No	No	No	No	?	No	No	?	Malware state : unknown
BTG	Yes	Yes	[17]	Yes	Yes	?	No	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	?	Yes	[[C++]]	libtorrent	CLI, GUI and web	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	No	No
BtManager	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	No	Python	?	GUI	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	Malware state : unknown
BTPD	?	Yes	No	No	planned	?	?	?	?	?	Yes	?	?	C	-	CLI	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
BTSharp (Library)	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	C#	N/A	API	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
burst!	Yes	No	Yes	No	?	Yes	No	?	?	?	?	?	No	Python	?	GUI	?	?	?	?	No	?	?	?	?	20 torrents max
CTorrent	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	No	[[C++]]	?	CLI	?	?	?	?	No	?	?	?	No
Deluge	Yes	Yes	Alpha[18]	Yes[19]	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Python and [[C++ (programming language)|C++]]	libtorrent	GUI	Yes	Yes	Yes Plugin	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Notification only
FlashGet	No	No	Yes	?	No	?	?	?	?	?	Yes	?	Yes	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
FoxTorrent	Partially[20]	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	XUL / JavaScript	Red Swoosh	FireFox	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Streaming capacities !
freeloader	Yes	Yes	No	No	?	?	No	?	?	?	?	?	No	Python	?	GUI	?	?	No	?	?	?	No	No	?
G3 Torrent	Yes	No	Yes	No	?	No	No	No	?	No	No	?	No	Python	BitTorrent	GUI and web	?	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	?
BitTorrent client	FOSS	Runs on			IPv6[1]	Super-seeding	Tracker	Supports						Language			Cache [2]	Supports						Engine		NOTES / Other
		Linux or UNIX	Windows	OS X				UPnP[3]	NAT		DHT [4]	Peer exchange	Encryption					Webseed [5]	RSS (RSS)			SOCKS
									NAT Port Mapping	NAT traversal
Gnome BitTorrent	Yes	Yes	No	No	?	?	No	No	?	?	No	No	No	Python	?	GUI	?	No	No	?	No	?	No	No	?
Halite	Yes	No	Yes	No	?	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	?	No	[[C++]]	libtorrent	GUI	?	No	No	?	?	No	No	?	?	Have a stand-alone version
KTorrent	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	?	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	[[C++]]	-	GUI, Web and CLI (Alpha)	?	No	Yes	S	Yes	?	Yes	Built-in Web browser	?	Prioritization exists, but in an alpha stage
LimeWire	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Java	-	GUI	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes
Localhost	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	?	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	Yes S.	?	No	Java and SWT	Azureus	Web	Yes	No	Plugin	Yes	Yes	Yes	Plugin[11]	Yes	?	DHT are required by Localhost
MLDonkey	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	?	No	No	?	No	Ocaml	-	CLI, Telnet, Web, Network GUI	Yes	No	3rd party bash script	Yes	No	No[21]	Yes	Yes[22]	No
MonoTorrent (Client Library)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	C#	N/A	N/A	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
MooPolice	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes [23]	Yes	[[C++]]	libtorrent	GUI	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Opera	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	S[24]	No	No	No	?	?	No	No	No	[[C++]]	?	GUI	?	?	No	No	No	?	No	Built-into Web browser	?
QTorrent	Yes	Yes	No	No	?	No	No	No	?	No	No	No	No	[[C++]]	The- SHAD0W	GUI	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Qbittorrent	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	?	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	[[C++]]	libtorrent	GUI Qt (toolkit)	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	No	Yes[25]	No, only search engines parser
rTorrent	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	S	No	No	No	No	No	Partial[26]	Yes	Yes	[[C++]]	libTorrent	CLI and SCGI	S	No	3rd party utility [27]	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Buggy IPv6 [6] + No built-in Cache-Disk cache but a Delayed sync
Rufus	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	?	?	No	No	?	No	Python	G3 Torrent	GUI and web	?	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	No	?
Shareaza	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	?	No	Yes [28]	?	No	[[C++]]	Shareaza core	GUI and web	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	10[29]
sharktorrent	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	No	No	Yes	?	No	Yes	?	No	[[C++]]	libtorrent	GUI wxwidgets	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	?
SymTorrent	Yes	No	No	No	?	No	No	?	?	?	No	No	No	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Tomato Torrent	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	?	?	?	?	?	No	Cocoa	BitTorrent?	GUI	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Torrent Swapper	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes[6]	Yes	Yes [12]	Yes	?	No	No	Yes	No	Python	BitTorrent	GUI and web	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Built-in Web browser	Yes
TorrentFlux	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	No	Yes	?	No	No	No	No	PHP	BitTornado	Web	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	?
TorrentVolve	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[30]	[30]	No	[30]	[30]	[30]	[30]	[30]	[30]	PHP	Azureus	Web	[30]	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	[30]
Transmission	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes [31]	No	C and Cocoa	-	GUI and CLI	?	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
Turbo Torrent	No	No	Yes	No	?	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	No	No	?	No	Python	G3 Torrent	GUI and web	?	No	No	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	Built-in Web browser	?	Malware present
TorrentSpy Rufus	Yes	No	Yes	No	?	No	No	?	?	?	No	?	No	Python	Rufus	GUI	?	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	?	?	Adware [32]
µTorrent	No	No[33]	Yes	No[33]	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes[34]	Yes [35]	Yes	[[C++]]	-	GUI, Web and Mobile phone GUI (beta)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
WizBit	Yes	No	No	No	?	No	No	No	?	No	No	No	No	Python	-	Mobile phone GUI (alpha)	No	No	No	No	?	No	No	Yes	?	max torrent = ?
XTorrent	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes [36]	No	C and