diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/sane-scripts/src/sane-bt-search b/pkgs/by-name/sane-scripts/src/sane-bt-search
index ac5e359f3..65cca499c 100755
--- a/pkgs/by-name/sane-scripts/src/sane-bt-search
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/sane-scripts/src/sane-bt-search
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ returns select results and magnet links.
 
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from datetime import datetime
+from enum import Enum
 import argparse
 import logging
 import json
@@ -40,8 +41,13 @@ epoch = datetime(1970, 1, 1)
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+class SortMethod(Enum):
+    Balanced = "balanced"
+    Seeders = "seeders"
+    Tracker = "tracker"
+
 class BadCliArgs(Exception):
-    def __init__(self, msg: str = None):
+    def __init__(self, msg: str | None = None) -> None:
         helpstr = __doc__
         if msg:
             super().__init__(f"{msg}\n\n{helpstr}")
@@ -49,7 +55,7 @@ class BadCliArgs(Exception):
             super().__init__(helpstr)
 
 
-def try_parse_time(t: str):
+def try_parse_time(t: str) -> datetime:
     try:
         return datetime.fromisoformat(t)
     except ValueError: pass
@@ -65,23 +71,34 @@ def parse_time(t: str) -> datetime:
 
 # preference, best to worst
 TRACKER_RANKS = [
-    'bakabt',
-    'subsplease',
-    'nyaa.si',
-    'miobt',
-    'yts',
-    'internet archive',
-    'the pirate bay',
+    [ 'BitMagnet (Local DHT)', ],
+    [
+        'BakaBT',
+        'SubsPlease',
+        'Nyaa.si',
+        'sukebei.nyaa.si',
+    ],
+    [ 'YTS', ],
+    [ 'MioBT', ],
+    [ 'Internet Archive', ],
+    [ 'The Pirate Bay', ],
     # haven't sorted these
-    '1337x',
-    'kickasstorrents.to',
+    [
+        '1337x',
+        'Bengumi Moe',
+        'kickasstorrents.to',
+        'Tokyo Toshokan',
+        'Torlock',
+    ]
 ]
-def tracker_rank(tracker: str):
-    tracker_ = tracker.lower()
-    if tracker_ in TRACKER_RANKS:
-        return TRACKER_RANKS.index(tracker_)
-    logger.warning(f"unknown tracker: {tracker_!r}")
-    return len(TRACKER_RANKS)
+# returns the tracker rank, as a tuple of (major, minor).
+# trackers with the same major rank are _roughly_ equal.
+def tracker_rank(tracker: str) -> tuple[int, int]:
+    for major, trackers in enumerate(TRACKER_RANKS):
+        if tracker in trackers:
+            return major, trackers.index(tracker)
+    logger.warning(f"unknown tracker: {tracker!r}")
+    return len(TRACKER_RANKS), 0
 
 DROP_CATS = { "dvd", "hd", "misc", "other", "sd", "uhd" }
 BOOK_CATS = { "audio", "books", "ebook" }
@@ -249,12 +266,17 @@ class Client:
 
         return sorted(torrents, reverse=True)
 
-def sort_results(torrents: list[Torrent], by: str) -> list[Torrent]:
-    if by == 'seeders':
-        return sorted(torrents, key=lambda t: (t.seeders, t), reverse=True)
-    elif by == 'tracker':
-        return sorted(torrents, key=lambda t: (-tracker_rank(t.tracker), t), reverse=True)
-    assert False, f"unknown sort method: {by}"
+def sort_results(torrents: list[Torrent], by: SortMethod) -> list[Torrent]:
+    def key(t: Torrent) -> tuple[int, int, Torrent]:
+        rank_seeders = -t.seeders
+        rank_tracker_major, rank_tracker_minor = tracker_rank(t.tracker)
+        # TODO: `Balanced` should consider `size` and `pub_date`
+        return {
+            SortMethod.Balanced: (rank_tracker_major, rank_seeders, rank_tracker_minor, t),
+            SortMethod.Seeders: (rank_seeders, rank_tracker_major, rank_tracker_minor, t),
+            SortMethod.Tracker: (rank_tracker_major, rank_tracker_minor, rank_seeders, t),
+        }[by]
+    return sorted(torrents, key=key)
 
 def format_results(all_results: list[Torrent], filtered_results: list[Torrent], json: bool):
     if json:
@@ -274,7 +296,7 @@ def main(args: list[str]):
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='search torrent trackers')
     parser.add_argument('--full', action='store_true', help='show all results')
     parser.add_argument('--top', help=f'how many results to show (default: {DEFAULT_RESULT_COUNT})')
-    parser.add_argument('--sort-by', default='seeders', help='how to rank matches (seeders, tracker)')
+    parser.add_argument('--sort-by', default=SortMethod.Balanced, type=SortMethod, help='how to rank matches (seeders, tracker)')
     parser.add_argument('--json', action='store_true', help='output results in json')
     parser.add_argument('--verbose', action='store_true')
     parser.add_argument('--book', action='store_true', help='show only book (ebook or audiobook) results')