ExtraTorrent was the favorite torrenting website of many, but unfortunately, it stopped working years ago. If you find a similar site these days, it is most likely one of those fake mirrors and proxies that emerged right after the original domain’s shutdown. These proxy links are full of pushy ads, malware, and malicious content, so we do not recommend using them.
Fortunately, you have finally reached the right place. This article discusses the top legal websites like ExtraTorrent to download movies, TV series, music, ebooks, games, and much more.
The Best ExtraTorrent Alternatives – Quick List
In a hurry? Here is a quick rundown of the 4 best alternatives to ExtraTorrent to download torrents in 2025:
- Public Domain Torrents: Great for old and classic movie lovers.
- Internet Archive: Hosts a variety of content, including software, audio files, videos, and more.
- Academic Torrents: Built by researchers to share academic resources and courses.
- Jamendo: Great site to download and stream music for free.
What You Should Know Before Visiting Sites Like ExtraTorrent
There are things to take into consideration before visiting these sites. Firstly, torrenting is not against the law in most countries; it’s the downloading of specific files, pirated ones mostly, where you may break the law.
We do not support illegal torrenting and strongly recommend doing it only where it’s legal. To keep yourself within the bounds of the law, you can read up on your country’s current copyright law or, better yet, invest in a reliable VPN for safe and secure torrenting.
A VPN hides your IP address and encrypts your online connection so no one can trace your browsing activity or hack into sensitive information. Encryption becomes highly significant while torrenting, as several seeders and leechers interact on the same public network.
With ExtremeVPN, your IP will be masked and encrypted. We offer more than 6,500 servers in 78+ countries worldwide for accessing P2P websites from anywhere. And so, if we say so, it’s a safe bet for torrenting.
4 Platforms Similar to ExtraTorrent – Detailed List
1. Public Domain Torrents
Free
Well-categorized collection
Limited movie selection
Public Domain Torrents is a paradise for people who enjoy watching old movies. Be it war, sci-fi, comedy, animation, horror, or more, the platform has movies as far back as 1932. The interface looks old and clunky, but the content is divided into categories, making it easy to find what you want to watch.
The site also has a news tab and a feedback section for users. There are downsides, though. Like other torrent websites, Public Domain Torrents doesn’t offer a search bar — you can’t search for a specific title here. Even though the platform offers a “Newly Twenty Added” tab, it doesn’t update its content frequently. Users will also see plenty of ads running here, so make sure to use an ad-blocker like uBlock Origin.
2. Internet Archive
Free
Completely free and legal
Search results aren’t always accurate
Internet Archive is another great alternative to ExtraTorrent. Users can download a variety of content from this website, including movies, audio files, texts, software, and more. It has a massive (1 trillion pages) catalog, and it is also unique compared to others — the Internet Archive offers a Wayback Machine that lets you check how websites used to look in the past.
As it’s a non-profit organization, it depends solely on the support from the community. In case you find it difficult accessing anything, the Internet Archive lists short guides like how to download files, or how to upload your files on the site, etc. Besides movies, you will also find sports videos, and cartoons & animations for kids.
3. Academic Torrents
Free
Fast distribution for large files
Limited to academic content
As its name implies, this website is dedicated to students and researchers, to share academic resources with the world. Its design is simple and user-friendly. You can find a search bar to find the content you want to access. The website currently has over 298TB of information.
When you visit the website, you will see a browse section that lists the type of content available, i.e., datasets, papers, courses, and collections. For all titles, it displays the no of seeders-to-leechers ratio to decide which content to go with.
4. Jamendo
Free
Offers monetization feature to artists
Not all songs are available for commercial use
Jamendo is a free music stream and download platform. Here, you can download copyright-free songs that you can use for both personal and commercial purposes. When you visit the platform, you see the website divided into two parts: Jamendo Music and Jamendo Licensing.
Jamendo Music hosts hundreds of free songs, mostly from independent and less-popular artists. And the Jamendo Licensing section lets you download music without copyrights. The website’s catalog is versatile. You can find music from all different genres here, such as rock, pop, classical, blues, etc. Jamendo also displays its featured tracks on the homepage.
How Can I Check if a Torrent File is Verified?
When torrenting on websites like ExtraTorrent, it’s important to find and only download content that is verified. But how can you confirm it? Keep reading to know:
- Look for the verification badge. Most torrenting sites display icons or badges (like a green checkmark) next to verified files. These badges signify that the uploader is trustworthy and the content has passed a quality check.
- Read reviews and comments. Comments are a simple and foolproof way to know whether a torrent is truly safe and matches its description. Verified torrents usually have active discussions — you will see many users confirming the file’s quality and integrity.
- Assess the uploader’s reputation. Many platforms let you check the uploader’s reputation rating or feedback. Only download files from uploaders who have high ratings and positive reviews from other users.
- Check for digital signatures. Some websites provide a checksum or digital signature (like SHA1 or MD5) that can confirm the file’s authenticity.
- Use your torrent client’s features. Check for features like file integrity or hash verification on your torrent client (i.e., uTorrent or BitTorrent). Some of them have built-in tools you can use to confirm the legitimacy of a downloaded file.
- Look at the number of seeders and leechers ratio: Verified torrents often have more seeders (people who have already downloaded the file and share with others) than leechers (who are still downloading it but aren’t sharing it further). If the seed-to-leech ratio is great, it suggests that the file is popular, trustworthy, and safe.
- Be aware of new uploads. You should be skeptical of files with no feedback or user reviews, especially new uploads. Verify their authenticity through other means before downloading.
- Use torrent aggregators. An aggregator site collects torrents from numerous sources and makes them accessible to you. But the good news is that these sites often have verification systems in place to ensure linked torrents are safe — examples include sites like Torrents.io or Zooqle.
Did ExtraTorrents Shut Down?
ExtraTorrent (known initially as extratorrent.cc) was founded in 2006 and quickly became one of the most popular torrenting platforms. The site helped millions of people download their favorite movies, TV shows, and games without spending a dime.
But, unfortunately, it all ended when it officially went offline on May 17, 2017, disappointing its global fanbase. This happened because ExtraTorrent and other torrenting sites often host links that violate copyright laws. The site voluntarily ceased operations to avoid getting in legal trouble with authorities.
ExtraTorrent Proxy Sites (Updated 2025)
After the shutdown, many ExtraTorrent proxy sites (similar sites with a slightly different domain) started evolving. While some of these sites claim to be official, we don’t know what’s the truth — most are far from reliable.
Here are the top ExtraTorrent proxy sites that are working at the time of writing:
| Sr No. | Proxy/Mirror | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | https://extratorrent.st/ | Active |
| 2. | https://extratorrent.proxyninja.org/ | Active |
| 3. | https://ext.to/ | Active |
| 4. | https://extratorrents.ch/ | Active |
| 5. | https://extranet.torrentbay.st/ | Active |
| 6 | https://extratorrent.to/ | Active |
Note that these links often pose significant risks you don’t want to face. Many users have reported malware and other threats to be present on these sites that can compromise your device’s security. As always, we recommend using a VPN like ExtremeVPN to access these sites.
How Can I Stay Safe On Alternative Sites Like ExtraTorrent?
Unfortunately, torrenting comes with security issues, so you must prioritize your safety when using ExtraTorrent alternatives. Here are some practical tips we’ll share to help you stay secure:
- Use a reliable VPN. A VPN hides your IP address and encrypts your online activities to protect you from prying eyes. However, choosing the VPN service is important. You must opt for a trusted service with IP leak protection like ExtremeVPN so that your IP does not get leaked while torrenting online.
- Verify site legitimacy. Not all sites are safe. Before visiting any website, research about it— check whether it uses HTTPS or not, read user reviews, and check forums to confirm its authenticity. Stick to legal platforms like Academic Torrents and Internet Archive, which have many positive ratings.
- Know your copyright laws. You should know by now that torrenting copyrighted material is illegal almost everywhere. To avoid legal consequences, focus on downloading public domain, open-source, or legally shared files. Also, get familiar with your country’s local laws and regulations. Know that doing torrenting illegally can get you in serious trouble. Users can get fined thousands of dollars for downloading copyrighted material in the US.
- Download only verified torrents. Avoid downloading unknown files with vague or generic names. Also, ignore poorly seeded torrents. They’re more likely to contain harmful software.
- Test files in a sandbox. Unsure about a file? Open it in a sandbox environment or virtual machine to isolate any possible threats. This way, your primary system stays secure.
- Get an adblocker. Many of the free torrenting sites display ads to earn money. These intrusive ads may link to harmful content, so consider installing an ad blocker (free ones like uBlock Origin can work best) to minimize your exposure to adware.
- Get an antivirus solution. You should keep antivirus software active and updated to safeguard yourself from new threats. It detects and blocks malware from suspicious downloads. Just set it to scan all downloaded files automatically. Total AV is a free antivirus that’s easy to use.
- Track your network activity. Keep an eye on your network for unusual behavior. Network monitoring tools will instantly alert you if there are unauthorized connections or suspicious activity.
- Keep everything updated. Try to update your operating system, browser, security software, and torrent client regularly. Updates often include patches that will protect against known vulnerabilities.
- Don’t share your personal information. Lastly, but most importantly, avoid using your real name or email address when signing up on torrenting platforms. If you must register, you can use fake names or temporary email services.
ExtremeVPN – The Best VPN for Platforms Like ExtraTorrent
ExtremeVPN works on all torrenting platforms and offers secure, encrypted communication.
We offer powerful security features, excellent speeds, and strong unblocking capabilities that let you enjoy safe and anonymous torrenting sessions. You’ll be impressed with how our VPN encrypts your data and hides your identity online, making it impossible for anyone to track you.
ExtremeVPN uses AES 256-bit encryption—the same level of security used by the military—to ensure your information stays private. It also blocks malware and trackers on P2P sites, so you have no worries when connected to the premium service.
Plus, our VPN consistently bypasses geo-restrictions and unlocks streaming and torrenting sites without any issues. With 6,500+ servers in over 78 countries and super-fast speeds, ExtremeVPN is perfect for streaming and downloading up to 4K quality content without buffering or delays.
FAQs
