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qBittorrent alternatives: 3 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave qBittorrent: macOS build is barely maintained by the project's own account, and dense interface with many options can overwhelm newcomers. We ranked 3 alternatives by how directly each one replaces qBittorrent, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Transmission currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Transmission logoTransmissionOpen sourceYesmacOS, Windows, Linux +15 of 566.5
2Deluge logoDelugeOpen sourceYesLinux, Windows, macOS +15 of 562.6
3BiglyBT logoBiglyBTOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux5 of 559.6
  1. Transmission logo

    1. TransmissionTop pick

    Best for: Mac users and NAS owners who want a light, no-fuss torrent client

    Open sourceSelf-hostablemacOS, Windows, Linux, Self-hosted

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from qBittorrent

    Lighter and simpler, with a properly native Mac app, if qBittorrent's many options feel like too much.

    Pros

    • Very low memory and CPU use
    • Genuinely native app on macOS
    • Runs as a daemon on NAS boxes, routers and Raspberry Pi
    • No ads, tracking or paid version

    Cons

    • No built-in torrent search
    • No native RSS feed automation
    • Fewer fine-grained controls than qBittorrent or BiglyBT
    Visit Transmission Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Transmission a good qBittorrent alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Platforms
    macOS, Windows, Linux
    Checked Oct 25, 2026transmissionbt.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Paid version
    None
    Checked Oct 25, 2026transmissionbt.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Tracking
    No user tracking
    Checked Oct 25, 2026transmissionbt.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Apple Silicon
    Native
    Checked Oct 25, 2026transmissionbt.com(opens source in a new tab)
    NAS support
    Synology, QNAP, TrueNAS and more
    Checked Oct 25, 2026transmissionbt.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Deluge logo

    2. Deluge

    Best for: Home-server and seedbox users who want to run torrents headless and control them remotely

    Open sourceSelf-hostableLinux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from qBittorrent

    Daemon-and-client design and a plugin system suit headless servers that you control remotely.

    Pros

    • Daemon and client split works well on headless machines
    • Choice of desktop, web and console interfaces
    • Plugin system keeps the core lean and extendable

    Cons

    • Current 2.x releases have no standard macOS package
    • RSS and other common features need plugins
    • Releases are infrequent compared with qBittorrent
    Visit Deluge Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Deluge a good qBittorrent alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    GNU GPL
    Checked Oct 25, 2026deluge-torrent.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Interfaces
    GTK+, web and console
    Checked Oct 25, 2026deluge-torrent.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Headless daemon
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026deluge-torrent.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Plugins
    Most features are plugins
    Checked Oct 25, 2026deluge-torrent.org(opens source in a new tab)
    macOS packages
    2.0 not yet available
    Checked Oct 25, 2026deluge-torrent.org(opens source in a new tab)
  3. BiglyBT logo

    3. BiglyBT

    Best for: Power users who want every torrent feature, including I2P anonymity and media serving

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from qBittorrent

    Even more features, including I2P anonymity, swarm merging and a DLNA media server.

    Pros

    • Huge feature set with swarm merging and granular limits
    • I2P support for anonymous downloading
    • Built-in media playback, transcoding and DLNA server
    • Ad-free with no bundled installer offers

    Cons

    • Java app that is heavier on memory than most clients
    • Very busy interface with a steep learning curve
    • Website and docs are sparse for such a complex app
    Visit BiglyBT Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is BiglyBT a good qBittorrent alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    GPL-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Ads
    Ad-free, no installer offers
    Checked Oct 25, 2026biglybt.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Anonymous downloading
    I2P support
    Checked Oct 25, 2026biglybt.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Media server
    UPnP and DLNA
    Checked Oct 25, 2026biglybt.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Origin
    Based on Azureus
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best qBittorrent alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Transmission logo

Best qBittorrent alternative for most people

Transmission

Lighter and simpler, with a properly native Mac app, if qBittorrent's many options feel like too much.

Deluge logo

Best qBittorrent alternative for a free option

Deluge

Daemon-and-client design and a plugin system suit headless servers that you control remotely.

BiglyBT logo

Best qBittorrent alternative for open source

BiglyBT

Even more features, including I2P anonymity, swarm merging and a DLNA media server.

Transmission logo

Best qBittorrent alternative for self-hosting

Transmission

Lighter and simpler, with a properly native Mac app, if qBittorrent's many options feel like too much.

Transmission logo

Best qBittorrent alternative for Mac

Transmission

Lighter and simpler, with a properly native Mac app, if qBittorrent's many options feel like too much.

Transmission logo

Best qBittorrent alternative for Windows

Transmission

Lighter and simpler, with a properly native Mac app, if qBittorrent's many options feel like too much.

Transmission logo

Best qBittorrent alternative for Linux

Transmission

Lighter and simpler, with a properly native Mac app, if qBittorrent's many options feel like too much.

qBittorrent alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to qBittorrent?

Transmission ranks first right now. Lighter and simpler, with a properly native Mac app, if qBittorrent's many options feel like too much. Deluge and BiglyBT follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to qBittorrent?

Yes. Transmission (open source), Deluge (open source) and BiglyBT (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to qBittorrent?

Yes: Transmission, Deluge and BiglyBT. Transmission and Deluge can also be self-hosted.

Which qBittorrent alternatives work on Linux?

Transmission, Deluge and BiglyBT run on Linux.

Why do people switch from qBittorrent?

The complaints we hear most: macOS build is barely maintained by the project's own account; dense interface with many options can overwhelm newcomers; search plugins need Python installed to work.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces qBittorrent, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.