FrostWire

FrostWire
Company type	Open-source software
Industry	Software development
Predecessor	LimeWire
Founded	September 2004; 22 years ago
Area served	Cross-platform (Android, Windows, Mac, Linux)
Products	BitTorrent client software
Website	www.frostwire.com

FrostWire is an open-source and cost-free BitTorrent client that debuted in September 2004 as a derivative of LimeWire. While it initially mirrored LimeWire’s design and capabilities, it gradually incorporated additional functionalities, most notably integrating support for the BitTorrent protocol. Beginning with version 5, FrostWire ceased compatibility with the Gnutella network to concentrate solely on BitTorrent technology.

History

FrostWire started as a Gnutella-based client and has evolved into a dedicated BitTorrent application, distributed under the GPL-3.0-or-later license. The project was initiated in late 2005 by contributors from LimeWire’s open source community to safeguard LimeWire’s development codebase. Over time, FrostWire replaced LimeWire’s original BitTorrent engine with Vuze’s Azureus platform and completed its transition to a fully BitTorrent-centric client by August 2014, employing the libtorrent library via the jLibtorrent Java wrapper.

Gnutella client

The initiative began in September 2004 after LimeWire’s distributor contemplated embedding "blocking" mechanisms due to pressure from the RIAA. Following the U.S. Supreme Court decision in MGM Studios, Inc. v. Grokster, Ltd., the RIAA threatened legal measures against multiple peer-to-peer developers, including LimeWire. FrostWire introduced its second beta release in late 2005, marking its initial entry into the market.

Multiprotocol P2P client

With version 4.20.x, FrostWire incorporated support for torrent files alongside a junk filter feature. The subsequent 4.21.x update extended compatibility to most Android devices, significantly expanding its user reach.

BitTorrent client

Version 5.0, launched in 2011, marked FrostWire’s complete shift to a BitTorrent-only client by dropping support for the Gnutella network. This change required users dependent on Gnutella to either continue using version 4 or migrate to alternative clients, highlighting FrostWire’s strategic pivot toward the burgeoning BitTorrent ecosystem.

Preview before download

Starting with version 6.0, FrostWire introduced functionality allowing users to preview files prior to downloading them, improving usability and minimizing unnecessary data transfers.

Adware and malware

Beginning in 2008, certain Windows installers for FrostWire bundled the optional Ask.com toolbar. By September 2015, FrostWire officially stopped distributing this toolbar and provided users with removal guidance. Around 2019, there were reports indicating that FrostWire was installing other forms of adware such as the browser hijacker WebDiscover.

FrostWire 4 Legacy

The original Gnutella-enabled FrostWire source code persists through projects like WireShare, which forked in 2010 to maintain an adware- and spyware-free version of the software while preserving Gnutella network functionality.

FrostWire for Android

FrostWire/FrostWire Plus on Android is a native BitTorrent client designed for downloading videos, music (including content from YouTube and SoundCloud), movies, and applications. It includes a Music Library and Player and utilizes peer-to-peer technology to efficiently serve mobile users.

Features

Key features of FrostWire include:

Integrated In-App Search combining Cloud Downloader with BitTorrent capabilities; searches across YouTube, SoundCloud, Archive.org, PirateBay.org with results organized by file type and filterable by keyword or file size
Support for magnet links
Compatibility with IPv6
Optional VPN drop protection feature
Tools for torrent creation and seeding
Ability to preview or stream cloud-hosted files (YouTube/SoundCloud) before full download; partial playback of BitTorrent files during download
Media Library supporting playlists
Built-in audio player; desktop video player; MP3 lyrics display (desktop only)
Localization available in over 20 languages
Cross-platform support: Android, Windows, Mac, Linux
Jlibtorrent: a Java interface for libtorrent developed internally by the FrostWire team
Media Browser available on Android devices

External links