10 Best Kickass Torrents Alternatives for 2024 That Still Work

The US government shut down Kickass Torrents (KAT) after charging its owner Artem Vaulin with multiple counts of copyright infringement. Many copycat sites have been appearing since, including katcr.co, run by a group of original KAT staff members. But these sites often have small libraries or contain risky torrent files and links.

Some host copyrighted content illegally, while others cannot verify the trustworthiness of users or files. Many sites like Kickass Torrents are also full of malicious links or annoying ads. After my team and I tested 40+ torrent sites, I found the safest alternatives to KAT that offer a great selection of quality downloads.

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Best Alternatives to Kickass Torrents That Work Right Now

1. The Pirate Bay — The Best KAT Alternative With a Huge File Library

The Pirate Bay is one of the oldest and most active P2P platforms with various categories of torrents. The site has survived numerous shutdowns and is still going strong with multiple “official” mirror sites.

It has an easy-to-use interface with simple navigation, so you can quickly find your way around the site. The self-explanatory menus make it a breeze to search and download torrent files. During our tests, it gave us reliable results for almost every search term we typed in.

There are trusted user tags that tell you if a torrent is safe, so you can easily avoid downloading malware-laden files. I just hovered over them to see if I was about to download a trusted torrent. This is a great feature if you’re particularly cautious about online threats.

Pink tags indicate a torrent is “Trusted,” while "VIP" means its tested for malware

The site also offers fast download speeds, thanks to its high seeder-to-leecher ratios. I even saw files with over 3000 seeders, making it a great choice if you want to maintain short download times.

Because it’s one of the most well-known platforms, The Pirate Bay is often blocked on restrictive networks and by ISPs. However, there’s a way to safely access The Pirate Bay from anywhere.

Note. Avoid downloading pirated content from The Pirate Bay.

Visit The Pirate Bay

2. YTS — Stream a Massive Catalog of High-Quality Movies

YTS (formerly known as YIFY) is a perfect choice if you are looking for a huge selection of HD movie torrents. The site features the latest blockbusters and the classics, and you can filter titles by genre, quality, and more. I downloaded a copy-right free movie, Nosferatu and Night of the Living Dead without any issues.

If you have limited bandwidth, YTS is a good KAT alternative to consider because it compresses its torrents. This allows you to download high-quality content without draining your internet bandwidth. Each file we came across on the website was available in different sizes and qualities, including 1080p and 720p.

YTS’s high seeder-to-leecher ratio lets you enjoy fast download speeds

The site is set up with many other conveniences for streaming enthusiasts. You can stream most movies and series on the site without having to download them. And, titles come with tags to quickly find related content.

Unfortunately, YTS may redirect you to suspicious pages, so it’s important to exercise caution when browsing for your favorite movies. Here’s how you can torrent safely and anonymously on popular P2P sites.

Note. Avoid downloading pirated content from YTS.

Visit YTS

3. 1337x — Lets You Search Through Other Torrent Sites to Find Any File You Need

Unlike other Kickass Torrent alternatives, 1337x features menus for torrenting sites like 123movies and FMovies. This allows you to search multiple torrent libraries from one place. Plus, its prominent categories make navigation straightforward.

The site is packed with everything you want, including software and movies. I also like how the site makes it easy to see when the file was added, its size, and the number of seeders and leechers it has.

You need to log in to view comments by other users

It has a registration option that grants members access to more content. You must enter your personal credentials to create a free account, which isn’t ideal from a privacy standpoint. However, your card won’t be charged for the free membership access. At the time of writing, registering directly through the site’s menu links wasn't possible, as the Register and Login links redirected me to unrelated sites instead of 1337x.

Unfortunately, Google tends to omit links to this platform on its results, so I recommend typing in the actual URL. It’s also a frequent target of takedowns, so it relies heavily on mirror sites to function.

Note. Avoid downloading pirated content from 1337x.

Visit 1337x

4. FitGirl Repacks — Large Library of Highly Compressed Games for Fast Downloads

FitGirl Repacks is a solid KAT alternative for gamers looking to download highly compressed versions of large games. The site specializes in "repacks" — compressed torrents that reduce file sizes, making it a great option for users with limited bandwidth or storage space.

During our tests, FitGirl Repacks consistently offered clean, malware-free downloads, and the games were fully functional after installation. Each torrent page provides extensive details about the game, including system requirements, file size, and the repack's performance. There’s even a step-by-step guide to help you with installation.

Most titles have multiple mirror links to download the game from

One downside is that games may take longer to extract due to the heavy compression process. However, this delay is nothing compared to the download time you gain, thanks to the compression and fast servers. Most files are hosted on download servers and not P2P networks, so you’re also less reliant on seeders.

Note. Avoid downloading pirated content from FitGirl Repacks.

Visit FitGirl Repacks

5. LimeTorrent — Intuitive Interface to Quickly Access the Content You Need

LimeTorrent has a user-friendly design that makes it easy to find the content you need. It’s visually appealing and comes studded with top torrents and cloud search options. The content is conveniently divided based on type: movies, TV shows, music, games, apps, and other. I found it easy to navigate from one section to another while using this service.

The Notice Board provides useful updates from the developers, like new domains

I ran into plenty of popups, ads, and redirects to suspicious sites while using it. However, the admins do a good job of keeping users up-to-date through an RSS feed bulletin board. You can also leave feedback, and the messages option makes it easy to engage with other users.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t verify any uploaded content, so you need to watch out if you don’t download copyrighted or malicious material. I definitely recommend you use an ad-blocker to stay safe on LimeTorrents. However, the service maintains a huge database that’s regularly updated, so you can always find the latest torrents.

Note. Avoid downloading pirated content from LimeTorrents.

Visit LimeTorrents

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6. Vuze — Meta Search Engine to Easily Find the Torrents You Need

Vuze is an alternative to traditional torrenting sites like KAT, offering a BitTorrent client that doubles up as a P2P file-sharing website. So, it lets you find, upload, and download files without visiting various websites using your browser. It even has a section allowing its users to download verified content.

Using "Web Search" will provide similar results to Google

Unfortunately, that means you have to install Vuze’s app. I also found the interface a bit confusing at first, although it doesn’t take long to get the hang of it. Just look out, as it may try to install adware during the installation. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to decline the installation of these apps if you don’t need them.

It offers a huge variety of content from different sources, including movies, software, games, and more. Plus, there’s an HD video player that lets you stream content in your Vuze library. So if you have many torrents in the queue, you can kill time with the already-finished ones while downloading in the background.

Note. Avoid downloading pirated content from Vuze.

Visit Vuze

7. Torlock — Large Selection of New Content With Verified Downloads

Torlock is known for its commitment to reducing the risk of downloading fake or harmful files. This makes it a safer choice for users compared to many other public torrent sites. During my tests, almost all content in popular categories like movies, music, and software had verified badges.

It also shows the date, size, and health so you can quickly find worthwhile torrents

I did notice that newer torrents often had thousands of seeders and leechers, so downloads were fast. However, a lot of the slightly older content often had no seeders. You will also get the occasional redirect or popup, although it’s not as bad as some other sites.

I couldn’t find any other working proxy or mirror sites, and Torlock is often targeted for takedowns. This might cause issues in the future. However, my team and I had no trouble accessing the site and downloading torrents went smoothly.

Note. Avoid downloading pirated content from Torlock.

Visit Torlock

8. IPTorrents — Member-Only Kickass Alternative for Quality File Sharing

IPTorrents is a private invite-only website that features a massive library of all types of torrents. Since you can’t just sign up for it, you need to receive an invitation from someone with an active membership, or you can make a $20 donation. You also get a VIP account + 10GB upload credit. It even accepts donations via Bitcoin, which is great for privacy.

You can pay via credit card, crypto, or Google Play

A big benefit of an invite-only torrent site is overall safety since the links are not public, and it has direct oversight over all users. Technically, there is less chance of running into an infected file, although there’s still no guarantee that every file is completely safe.

The community is always expanding, and all members must maintain a good download-to-upload ratio, which can be challenging. The site also advises you to be careful who you grant invitations to. If you knowingly invite somebody with malicious intent, both accounts risk closure without notification.

Note. Avoid downloading pirated content from IPTorrents.

Visit IPTorrents

9. Nyaa — Best Kickass Alternative for Anime Torrents

Nyaa is the go-to torrent site for anime fans, offering a wide variety of anime, manga, music, and East Asian content. The site is a bit old school but it’s straightforward and provides the most important information up front. I also liked that you can immediately jump to links with English audio or subtitles.

Nyaa also has a smaller selection of games, wallpapers, and apps

This site has a healthy seeder-to-leecher ratio, so downloads tend to be fast and stable. We rarely found files with 0 seeders, so you can download almost anything immediately without having to dig through the archives.

Unfortunately, Nyaa does not verify torrents, meaning there’s a chance of encountering malicious files. Plus, it doesn’t use trusted badges like some of the other sites. However, We haven’t encountered any malicious files yet.

Note. Avoid downloading pirated content from Nyaa.

Visit Nyaa

10. Internet Archive — Digital Library With Tons of Legal and Free Torrents

Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with millions of free public domain torrent files and links. This includes videos, audio files, books, software, and images, all legal and free. I liked how the site makes it easy to retrieve content using URLs and keywords.

Most movies and shows can be streamed on the site or downloaded

There is even a dedicated section for archived torrents that features numerous filter options, including media type and year. This makes it a breeze to find files you want to download faster. The only catch is that, as most content is in the public domain, it’s harder to find newer games, movies,and TV shows.

Currently, the platform uses BitTorrent protocol to distribute its collection, so you can use any reliable torrent client to initiate downloads. For shorter download times, I recommend using a lightweight BitTorrent client with Internet Archive.

Note. Avoid downloading pirated content from Internet Archive.

Visit Internet Archive

Beware of These Fake Kickass Torrents

Fake websites using Kickass Torrent’s name have emerged since it was shut down. These services can get you into trouble as they’re loaded with copyrighted material and often expose you to online threats like viruses and malware. I recommend you avoid the following domains as they’re owned or run by imposters:

• Kickasstorrents.to
• Kickass.cd
• Tor-cr.org
• Katcr.co
• Kat.am
• Kat.sx
• Kat.li

The same has happened to many other popular torrenting sites, like RARBG, only to get replaced with dubious mirror or proxy sites. The original RARBG and EZTV have been taken down and replaced with various copycats trying to scam you. If you used to frequent these sites, I recommend you check out these safe RARBG alternatives instead.

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Editor's Note: Transparency is one of our core values at vpnMentor, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process.

Tips on Choosing the Best Torrenting Sites

When choosing the best Kickass Torrents alternatives, we focused on a few essential criteria, like consistent uptime, a broad content selection, and a safe browsing experience. The best torrenting sites, like the ones on this list, provide a mix of verified torrents, a strong seeding community, and regularly performed updates. These sites also have minimal intrusive ads and aren’t known for being malware-infested.

Note. Avoid downloading pirated content from any of the listed sites.

How to Stay Safe When Using Sites Like Kickass Torrents

While the KAT alternatives listed here have a reputation for being trustworthy, no torrenting site is 100% safe. Torrent sites like Kickass expose your data, such as your IP address, torrenting activity, and data, which are vulnerable to hackers and snoops.

Additionally, torrenting sites are notorious for featuring intrusive ads that lead to malware. While many of the best sites like Kickass Torrents significantly limit the number of malicious links on their platforms, they'll never be able to catch all of them. It’s up to you to protect your data when using P2P networks:

• Use a VPN. By encrypting your traffic and masking your IP address, a VPN prevents third parties from tracing your online activities. This is useful when using Kickass Torrents alternatives, where your IP is visible to anyone seeding or leeching the same file. Some VPNs have malware and ad-blocking features to protect you from cyber threats.
• Inspect torrents before downloading. Unverified torrents, even on popular platforms, can be laced with malware or harmful files. Sites like The Pirate Bay use verified badgers to identify top seeders. Also, check the comments from other leechers to see if they had any issues.
• Run antivirus on downloaded files. Malware can be hidden in files such as EXE, ZIP, or RAR formats. Antivirus tools will alert you if any downloaded content is harmful and should be quarantined. It’s important that you do this before running the download files.
• Avoid copycat sites. Look alike torrent sites are a common issue, often designed to lure users into downloading malicious software. Signs of such sites include strange URLs, excessive pop-ups, and unnecessary registration demands. Always double-check the URL and avoid sites that seem suspicious.
• Avoid copyrighted material. Downloading pirated content is illegal in most countries and can result in severe penalties, including fines or legal action. Stick to files in the public domain or those explicitly licensed for free sharing.

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Are There Safe and Legal Alternatives to Torrenting?

Fortunately, there are alternatives to traditional torrenting that provide similar access to digital content without the same risks as sites like KAT. Here are a few torrenting alternatives to consider:

• Usenet. This decentralized network allows users to access newsgroups where they can share files. It’s safer because it’s a closed community with paid access, and downloads are SSL-encrypted.
• Seedboxes. A seedbox is a remote server used to upload and download P2P files. Instead of requiring other users as seeders, the server itself “seeds” the content for anyone with access to download.
• Stremio. This is a media center app that allows you to stream content from various sources, including free and paid sites. So, you don’t have to download physical files that may contain malware to your device.
• Free streaming sites. If streaming is your main focus, there are many legal free streaming sites, like Sony Crackle and Tubi TV. The only issue is that most of them have limited content and are ad-supported.

FAQs on the Best Alternatives to Kickass Torrents

Is it legal and safe to use Kickass Torrents alternatives?

Most sites like Kickass Torrents are not 100% safe or legal because torrenting laws vary from country to country. So always check local laws to avoid getting in trouble. If you’re currently in a location where torrenting is legal, make sure to protect your data.

Can I use a free VPN with Kickass Torrents alternatives?

It’s not recommended to use a free VPN for torrenting as they’re often unreliable and dangerous. Most free VPNs come with limited security and privacy features, so they can’t safeguard your sensitive information while torrenting. A premium VPN with a trustworthy money-back guarantee is a much better option, as it offers robust protection.

On top of that, most free services cap bandwidth, throttle speeds, and limit server locations. So, ultimately you’ll want to upgrade to access all the features. Some even have a reputation for embedding malware on their installers, which can wreak havoc on your devices. Others are known for logging and selling user data to third parties like advertisers.

Is it safe to use a proxy to access torrenting sites?

No, a proxy is not suitable for secure torrenting. Although a proxy masks your IP address, they do not encrypt your connections, which can potentially expose your data and activity. There are much more effective ways of safely torrenting. Most proxy services also have smaller server networks and slower connections, so your downloads will be significantly delayed.

Conclusion

Authorities target torrenting sites because they’re often used to circumvent copyright laws. Even the best and most reliable torrenting sites, like Kickass Torrents, can go down at any time, so having a few backups is always a good idea. The listed KAT alternatives all offer tons of downloadable torrents, including software, TV shows, and anime.