Over the weekend we explored the situation of uTorrent and the offers bundled with its installer. However, for many users this means the end of the relationship, which implies looking for a direct replacement. At NeoTeo we decided to expand the list of recommendations to four: Tixati, Deluge, qBittorrent and the Windows version of Transmission.
Even though Epic Scale was removed from uTorrent's installer, this doesn't change the underlying conditions: its developers have adopted a very aggressive posture to monetize the client, and users' response was diametrically opposed. This causes frustration because we all remember uTorrent as a lightweight and efficient client that conquered the market in record time. Still, we must be realistic: if the majority of users exchange files to avoid traditional commercial channels, that same majority refuses to pay for an ad-free client when there are free alternatives (and in some cases open source) equally good, or even better. What are those alternatives? Let's see...
1) Tixati
The entire program is contained in a single executable that averages 20 megabytes. Written in C++, with no external dependencies, quite respectful of memory usage, full of advanced options that allow deep optimization, and with a portable edition, Tixati has everything it needs to be a tough player in the BitTorrent world. Its only asterisk? It is not open source.
2) Deluge
Deluge is my current BitTorrent client. Probably the most spartan of the four, but its plugin system enables additional features almost immediately, like the WebUI and Blocklist protections. Deluge is completely open source (GNU GPL v3), and the official page offers a build for OS X.
3) qBittorrent
At first glance, qBittorrent most closely resembles the old uTorrent, especially when we look at its configuration options. The most striking thing about qBittorrent is that it wasn't necessary to modify anything beyond the TCP port. While the test torrent (Debian netinst) had a healthy number of seeds, qBittorrent responded marvelously. Like Deluge, qBittorrent is open source.
4) Transmission
Transmission needs no introduction. The go-to client in many Linux distros, Transmission arrives on Windows thanks to the Qt framework. This makes its startup a bit slower, although it doesn't harm its overall operation or stability. Transmission's advanced options are a bit limited, but at the same time there's nothing that erodes its high value as a BitTorrent client.
It's very hard to recommend one of these clients above the rest. Each has its strengths, so it will be up to the user to determine which one best suits their needs. What I have no doubt about is this: any of the four can replace uTorrent, today.
