Our verdict: PicoTorrent is a clean, minimal torrent client with a native Windows look and no ads. It supports BitTorrent v2 and hybrid torrents and stays light on memory. The big drawback is that the latest release dates from May 2021, so it misses years of libtorrent fixes; actively developed clients like qBittorrent are the safer choice.
About PicoTorrent
PicoTorrent is a small BitTorrent client written in modern C++ by Viktor Elofsson and contributors and released under the MIT license. It is built on Rasterbar libtorrent for high performance and low memory use, and it uses native Windows controls rather than a custom skin.
It fully supports BitTorrent 2.0 (BEP 52) with v1, v2 and hybrid torrents, plus DHT, peer exchange, local service discovery and UPnP. Installers and portable ZIP packages exist for 64-bit and 32-bit Windows; the portable version needs the Visual C++ 2019 Redistributable. The most recent release, 0.25.0, was published in May 2021.
What it does well
- BitTorrent v2. Supports v1, v2 and hybrid v1+v2 torrents (BEP 52).
- Native interface. Uses standard Windows controls, so it looks like a built-in app.
- Peer discovery. DHT, peer exchange, local service discovery and UPnP port mapping.
- Low memory use. Built on libtorrent and kept deliberately small.
- Portable version. Run from a ZIP without installing.
Who it is for
Good fit
Users who want a very simple, ad-free torrent client with a native Windows look.
Look elsewhere
Anyone who needs an actively maintained client, RSS downloads, search or a web interface.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very small and simple
- Native Windows look
- BitTorrent v2 support
- No ads, open source
Cons
- No new release since May 2021
- Few advanced features (no RSS, search or web UI)
- Windows only
How to install PicoTorrent
The button downloads the 64-bit installer from the official GitHub releases. The portable ZIP on the same page needs the Microsoft Visual C++ 2019 Redistributable installed separately. There is no bundled software.
Questions about PicoTorrent
Is PicoTorrent free?
Yes. PicoTorrent is free and open source under the MIT license, with no ads.
Is PicoTorrent still updated?
The latest release, 0.25.0, came out in May 2021, and there have been no releases since. The project has not been officially discontinued, but it is not actively released.
Does PicoTorrent support BitTorrent v2?
Yes. It supports v1, v2 and hybrid torrents as defined in BEP 52.
