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Stranger Things leads BitTorrent downloads in 2025
Netflix's cultural powerhouse Stranger Things was the most illegally downloaded TV series on BitTorrent in 2025, according to TorrentFreak's annual list. The show's final season outpaced fellow Netflix hit Squid Game and left HBO Max's The Last of Us in third place. The ranking is a reminder that even global hits on major streaming platforms still drive a huge volume of unauthorized downloads.
Why torrents still matter in a streaming world
When TorrentFreak first started publishing these lists in the late 2000s, network dramas like Lost and Heroes topped the charts. The landscape has shifted dramatically: streaming services now dominate the industry, and the fragmentation of content across multiple paid subscriptions is a central factor behind persistent piracy. Many households subscribe to at least one streaming service, but following every buzzy new series often requires subscriptions to several — a cost some viewers refuse or simply cannot shoulder.
That economic and practical fragmentation helps explain why torrent traffic remains high. While BitTorrent covers only a slice of total piracy — many viewers use illegal streaming sites and private distribution channels that don't report their numbers — torrents are still a measurable barometer of demand and frustration.
Streaming platforms represented — and missing — on the list
2025's top-ten BitTorrent downloads included a wide cross-section of platforms, highlighting both hits and surprises:
1) Stranger Things (Netflix) 2) Squid Game (Netflix) 3) The Last of Us (HBO Max) 4) Severance (Apple TV+) 5) Andor (Disney+) 6) Reacher (Amazon Prime) 7) Silo (Apple TV+) 8) Pluribus (Apple TV+) 9) Wednesday (Netflix) 10) Alien: Earth (FX / Hulu)
Apple TV+ enjoyed a notable presence for the second consecutive year, placing Severance, Silo, and Pluribus among the most-downloaded shows — a sign that prestige programming can generate strong illicit demand even on smaller platforms. Disney+, meanwhile, saw a sharp decline compared with a previous year; only Andor made the 2025 top ten.
Context, comparisons and cultural pull
Stranger Things' torrent dominance isn't just about availability. It reflects the show's cultural stature: the Duffer Brothers' blend of 1980s nostalgia, high-stakes plotting, and a familiar ensemble cast created appointment viewing that sparked global fandom and watercooler conversation. Comparatively, Squid Game's shock-driven drama and The Last of Us' cinematic production values both generated similar hunger for immediate access.
Industry-wise, the persistence of piracy also signals that windowing strategies, geo-restrictions, and subscription stacking are still pain points. Some studios have responded with more simultaneous global releases and cheaper ad-supported tiers; others double down on exclusive windows and franchise-building.
"Piracy numbers tell us as much about distribution friction as they do about popularity," says film critic Anna Kovacs. "When viewers feel locked out by price or availability, they often turn to the easiest option. Platforms that reduce friction will likely see less of that leakage over time."
A final note on the data
Remember that the TorrentFreak list is based on BitTorrent traffic and does not capture the full scale of illegal streaming across untracked sites and private channels. Still, it offers a useful snapshot of what global audiences most aggressively seek outside official channels.
For creators and platforms, the takeaway is clear: compelling storytelling drives demand — legal or otherwise. The industry faces a continuing challenge to make that storytelling accessible enough to keep eager viewers inside the official ecosystem.
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