Torrent Clients

FrostWire

FrostWire is a free, open-source BitTorrent client, media player, and video downloader in one application. It searches torrent indexes from inside the app, lets you preview media while it downloads, and organizes finished files in an integrated library.

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✓ Software download·Open Source·Updated September 16, 2026
DeveloperFrostWire LLC
LicenseOpen Source
File size72.3 MB
Languageen-US
Downloads10

FrostWire BitTorrent Client and Media Player

FrostWire is a BitTorrent client that also handles search, previewing, and playback, so a download does not have to be finished before you can watch or listen. The workflow starts with a search inside the application: results from connected torrent indexes appear in a list, you tick the files you actually want from a package, and the transfer begins. Magnet links and torrent files open in the same window. While data streams in, the built-in player can start on the parts already downloaded, and completed media joins a library with playlists. It is a practical choice for anyone who wants one program for finding, fetching, and playing files.

Search is the part that distinguishes FrostWire from a plain torrent engine. Instead of hunting for an index in a browser and pasting a magnet link, you type a query in the app and pick from aggregated results that flag size, seeders, and source. Cloud sources sit alongside the torrent indexes, widening coverage to openly licensed music and video that never appear as torrents. A preview function streams compatible media before a transfer completes, and selective downloading keeps a large collection from filling the drive with files you do not need. Because it is open source and free of advertising, the project runs on donations rather than bundled offers. Music-trading communities are a different tradition, closer to what tools like Nicotine+ offer.

Benefits of Using FrostWire

The advantage FrostWire offers is a shorter path from wanting a file to watching it. Search, selection, transfer, and playback happen in one window, and the preview feature means a large video can be judged in the first minutes rather than after an hour of downloading. Picking individual files out of a torrent avoids the classic situation where a 20 GB package is fetched for one episode, and a queue that keeps running in the background means transfers do not need babysitting. The media library that grows out of finished downloads is genuinely useful: playlists, artwork, and playback controls are already there instead of requiring a separate application. Because the client is open source and supported by donations, there are no toolbars, upsells, or timed trials to work around. It suits people who treat downloading and listening as one activity.

FrostWire features

Key capabilities and highlights.

Feature 1

In-App Torrent Search

FrostWire queries several torrent search engines from inside the application and lists the results without sending you to a browser. Each hit shows size, seeders, and source, so you can judge whether a download is worth starting before adding it to the queue.

Feature 2

Selective File Downloading

A torrent package can be opened first and individual files ticked for download, leaving the rest out entirely. That keeps a single episode or track from costing the space of a full season or album collection.

Feature 3

Preview and Play While Downloading

Compatible audio and video files can start playing from the parts already transferred, using sequential download ordering to keep playback smooth. Judging a file mid-transfer beats waiting an hour to discover it is the wrong version or a poor rip.

Feature 4

Built-In Media Library and Playlists

FrostWire indexes finished downloads automatically into an audio and video library with playlists, artwork, and playback controls, so the app doubles as the player. There is no need to maintain a separate media application alongside it.

Feature 5

Magnet Links and Torrent Files

FrostWire accepts magnet links, torrent files, and torrent URLs, and hands them to the same download manager with per-torrent speed limits, priority settings, and a visible peer list. It keeps working on files that stall and pick up sources later.

Feature 6

Cloud and Openly Licensed Sources

Beyond torrent indexes, FrostWire's search also covers cloud media sources where openly licensed and public-domain audio and video are published. That gives legal, artist-approved material a visible place in the results right next to community-shared torrent files.

Feature 7

Ad-Free Open Source Client

FrostWire is free software supported by user donations, with no advertising modules, toolbars, or paid tier gating features behind a trial. That keeps the interface clean and means nothing is installed alongside it without your knowledge.

Feature 8

Desktop and Mobile Builds

The same project ships desktop and mobile builds, so a search started on a computer can be continued on a phone with the same library conventions. Mobile playback includes a gesture-driven audio player for use on the move.

Old versions

Browse historical releases and previous builds.

6.12.0.318May 26, 2023
6.11.0.317March 26, 2023
6.9.9.313September 12, 2022

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about FrostWire.

What is FrostWire?

It is a free, open-source BitTorrent client that also includes a media player and a video downloader. It searches torrent indexes and cloud sources from inside the application, then plays what you download without needing a separate player.

Does FrostWire still use the Gnutella network?

No. FrostWire began as a Gnutella client but dropped that network in favour of BitTorrent, which has been the focus of the application since. The project is not affiliated with LimeWire LLC.

Can I watch a video before it finishes downloading?

Yes, for compatible media. FrostWire downloads pieces in an order that allows playback to begin while the transfer continues, so a large file can be checked early instead of only after it completes.

Is the search built in?

Yes. FrostWire connects to multiple torrent search engines and shows the results in its own window, so you do not need to visit an index site in a browser to find a torrent or a magnet link.

Does it cost anything?

No. FrostWire is free and open source, supported by donations, with no advertising inside the client and no paid edition that unlocks core features. Featured Creative Commons downloads are curated separately on the project's site.

Is downloading torrents legal?

It depends on the content and your jurisdiction. Torrenting itself is a neutral technology used for Linux distributions, public-domain media, and Creative Commons music; sharing copyrighted works without permission may be unlawful where you live.

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FrostWire is a free, open-source BitTorrent client, media player, and video downloader in one application. It searches torrent indexes from inside the app, lets you preview media while it downloads, and organizes finished files in an integrated library.