ZeroNet is a decentralized web-like network of peer-to-peer users, created by Tamas Kocsis in 2015. The programming for the network was based in Budapest, Hungary. It is built in Python and fully open source. Instead of having an IP address, sites are identified by a public key (specifically a bitcoin address). The private key allows the owner of a site to sign and publish changes, which propagate through the network. Sites can be accessed through an ordinary web browser when using the ZeroNet application, which acts as a local webhost for such pages. In addition to using bitcoin cryptography, ZeroNet uses trackers from the BitTorrent network to negotiate connections between peers. ZeroNet is not anonymous by default, but it supports routing traffic through the Tor network.
The ZeroNet website and bittorrent tracker are blocked in mainland China. Despite the censorship, however, it is still possible to access ZeroNet from behind the Great Firewall of China, even over Tor, by bootstrapping over Meek, and connecting to peers directly.
What is ZeroNet?
ZeroNet by ZeroNet is open-source Windows software in the download managers category. It ranks 7th by popularity among download managers in this catalogue. The first release dates back to 2015. It is written in Python. Besides Windows, it is available for GNU/Linux, Mac operating system and Android.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides Portable installers for 64-bit Windows. It runs without installation (portable).
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 5,620 times. The source code on GitHub (HelloZeroNet/ZeroNet) has 18,777 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 14 of our languages. Similar programs include youtube-dl, Transmission and yt-dlp.
Project description on GitHub: “ZeroNet - Decentralized websites using Bitcoin crypto and BitTorrent network”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Portable: runs without installation
- Also runs on GNU/Linux, Mac operating system and Android
- Large user base
- Mature project (since 2015)
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- No update for more than a year
In short: ZeroNet is an open-source download manager tool for 64-bit PCs. Updates have slowed down.
Is ZeroNet safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
E0B159740B42C05DE96FD8F557C52124B50F66F9E6E142872D9FAEF61556F207· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 1 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.7.1Latest | September 6, 2019 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id ZeroNet.ZeroNet -echoco install zeronet -yscoop install extras/zeronetRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- ZeroNet
- Category
- Download managers
- Licence
- GPL-3.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/HelloZeroNet/ZeroNet
- Written in
- Python
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Other platforms
- GNU/Linux, Mac operating system, Android
- Version
- 0.7.1
- Released
- September 6, 2019
- First release
- 2015
- Added to the catalogue
- October 27, 2025
- Versions listed
- 1
- Chocolatey downloads
- 5,620
- GitHub stars
- 18,777
- GitHub forks
- 2,281
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- ZeroNet.ZeroNet
- Chocolatey package
- zeronet
- Scoop package
- extras/zeronet
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is ZeroNet free?
Yes. ZeroNet is open-source software under the GPL-3.0 licence.
Is ZeroNet safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install ZeroNet with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does ZeroNet run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Can I use ZeroNet without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to ZeroNet?
youtube-dl, Transmission, yt-dlp, Jackett and Tribler. The alternatives page compares them.
