Our verdict: BiglyBT is the torrent client for people who want every knob and statistic in one place. It is open source, shows no ads and its installer carries no third-party offers. The price for all those features is a busy interface and a Java-based app that uses more memory than qBittorrent.
About BiglyBT
BiglyBT continues the code of the Azureus/Vuze client and is developed by the same people who worked on it since 2003. It is released under the GPL v2, shows no ads, and the official installer contains no bundled offers. The 64-bit Windows installer ships with its own Java runtime, so you do not need to install Java separately.
Beyond normal downloading and seeding, BiglyBT has tags for sorting downloads, swarm merging that combines peers from different torrents of the same file, BitTorrent v2 support, a meta search across torrent sites, a light-seeding mode and detailed views for pieces, peers, trackers and disk activity. It can import torrents and settings from uTorrent and BitTorrent.
What it does well
- Swarm merging. Combines peers from different torrents that contain the same file to speed up slow downloads.
- Tags and views. Sort downloads with tags and inspect pieces, peers, trackers and disk operations in separate views.
- Meta search. Searches several torrent sites from inside the client.
- BitTorrent v2. Supports v2 and hybrid torrents alongside classic v1 torrents.
- Client migration. The installer includes a plugin that moves torrents and settings over from uTorrent and BitTorrent.
Who it is for
Good fit
Experienced torrent users who want detailed statistics, tagging and automation in an ad-free client.
Look elsewhere
People who want a small, simple client with a minimal window and low memory use.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Open source and ad-free
- No bundled offers in the installer
- Very detailed torrent, peer and tracker statistics
- Swarm merging and built-in meta search
Cons
- Crowded interface with many views and options
- Java-based, so it uses more memory than native clients
How to install BiglyBT
Pick the Windows installer (64-bit, with Java 21) from the official download page; it contains no bundled offers. On first start, set the download folder and upload limit in the setup wizard. If you come from uTorrent, accept the migration prompt to bring your torrents over.
Questions about BiglyBT
Is BiglyBT free?
Yes. BiglyBT is open source under the GPL v2, has no paid edition and shows no ads.
Do I need to install Java for BiglyBT?
No. The 64-bit Windows installer includes its own Java runtime.
Is BiglyBT related to Vuze?
Yes. It is based on the Azureus/Vuze source code and is developed by people who worked on that project.
