10 Best Download Managers for Windows

It’s 2022, and if you are still using your browser to download files from the internet, you might as well go back to the stone age. Its infuriating having to download files using browsers, as the whole process is clumsy and broken. First of all, you don’t receive good download speeds, and even when you do, your download can break anytime. That’s why you should always use a download manager. A good download manager not only brings faster download speeds but also allows you to pause and resume your downloads and run multiple downloads in parallel. So, it’s time that you switch and here is the list of the 10 best download managers for Windows that you can use today.

Note: Some of the download managers in the list let you download content from platforms like YouTube, Vimeo etc. However, downloading content from these platforms for commercial use or piracy is illegal. So, make sure to read the privacy policy and terms & conditions of these tools before you start using them.

Best Download Managers for Windows in 2022

In this list, we have selected 10 best apps. You can check the entire list by click on the table of content below. You can also jump to specific apps by clicking on their name in the table of content:

1. JDownloader 2

JDownloader is one of the best download managers that you can get for your Windows PC. First of all, the download manager is open source and completely free to use. Unlike the paid download managers which provide a free version which runs with ads, with JDownloader you get everything for free, that too without any ads.

Talking about its features, the downloader manager allows users to start, stop or pause downloads, set bandwidth limitations, auto-extract archives, and much more. Some of my other favorite features of this app include multiple file downloads, support for popular content sites such as Vimeo and YouTube, add-on support, and more.

JDownloader 2

JDownloader is already a powerful download manager, however, it allows you to make it even more feature-rich and powerful by using a set of more than 300 plugins. For example, one of my favorite plugins is the scheduler plugin which allows met to shcedule my downloads. Whenever I am downloading huge files, I schedule it to download in the night as I get the best speeds then.

With JDownloader’s scheduling feature, I don’t have to remember to start and stop the downloads. This is just the tip of the iceberg and you can enhance JD’s capabilities based on your needs. As you can see, JDownloader is a very capable download manager for Windows and you should definitely try this out.

Pros:

  • Completely free without ads
  • Multiple file downloads in parallel
  • Support for popular video hosting websites
  • Huge library of plugins

Cons:

  • UI seems outdated

Visit: Website (free)

Pro Tip: Remember to decline installing free antivirus software when installing the app.

2. Internet Download Manager

Internet Download Manager also known as IDM is probably one of the most popular download managers for Windows out there. The biggest feature and probably the USP of Internet Download Manager is its easy integration with all the major browsers out there. I still get surprised by the accuracy with which IDM intercepts all the download links allowing me to easily download the files using its service rather than the browsers’ built-in downloader.

This deletes the extra step where I need to consciously use a download manager as it automatically captures all my downloads. While other download managers also do this, none of them does it as good as Internet Download Manager.

IDM

Other features of IDM include the ability to pause and resume downloads, support for downloading multiple files in parallel, faster download speeds, and more. IDM comes with a smart download logic accelerator that features intelligent dynamic file segmentation and safe multipart downloading technology to accelerate your downloads. This also ensures that even when your PC crashes in the middle of a download, IDM will be able to resume the download without having to start from scratch.

Internet Download Manager also supports proxy servers, FTP and HTTP protocols, firewalls, redirects, cookies, authorization, audio and video content processing among other things. It is one of the most powerful download managers out there and you should definitely try this one out.

Pros:

  • Great download speeds
  • Multiple file downloads in parallel
  • Support for popular video hosting websites
  • Supports proxy servers, FTP & HTTP protocols, and more

Cons:

  • A little pricey

Visit: Website (free 30-day trial, $29.95)

3. Ninja Download Manager

Ninja Download Manager is one of my most favorite download manager apps for Windows. First of all, the app is probably the best looking download managers out there. I mean, while rest of the download manager on this list are functional, none of them is going to win any design award. Since Ninja Download Manager is new in the market, the developers had the chance to create something modern and they did exactly that.

The app looks like a modern Windows 10 app and doesn’t stick out like an eyesore. When you get past its looks, you will find that Ninja Download Manager is one of the best and fastest download managers out there.

3. Ninja Download Manager

The software uses multiple simultaneous connections which basically divides the whole file into different chunks and uses different server points to download different chunks, thereby bringing your exponentially faster download speeds. Other features like pausing and resuming downloads, scheduling downloads, multiple downloads, queuing downloads, and more are also here.

One of my favorite features of NDM is its sequential downloads feature which ensures that your files are downloaded from start to finish, thus, allowing you to preview your downloads even before completion. It comes in really handy while downloading big video files, as it allows you to check if the quality of file is good or not before you waste time and data on downloading the entire file. I love NDM and highly recommend this to anyone looking for a good download manager for Windows.

Pros:

  • Beautiful and elegant UI
  • Multiple file downloads in parallel
  • Ability to schedule downloads
  • Support for sequential downloads

Cons:

  • Parsing of media on non-popular websites is not supported

Visit: Website ($19)

4. Free Download Manager

Free Download Manager or FDM is yet another open-source download manager for Windows which is very powerful. FDM, like other download managers on this list, brings faster download speeds by splitting the downloading files into different parts and then downloading those parts simultaneously. It also supports pausing and resuming of downloads even when a download is interrupted abruptly.

One of the unique features of FDM is its support for torrent files which comes in really handy at times. I also love its bandwidth management features which allow me to allocate bandwidth to downloads thereby allowing me to surf the web without any hindrance in speed. FDM is also one of the best looking download managers on this list and I quite like its modern and clean UI.

4. Free Download Manager

All that said, my favorite feature of Free Download Manager is its smart file management and scheduler system. With FDM you can easily organize downloaded files by their type. So, all my files are organized even before they are downloaded. With FDM, all my videos, games, and music downloads are sent to their respective folders.

I love using FDM and it’s one of my most favorite download managers in the market. The fact that it is totally free to use without any ads makes this even better. If you are looking for a free and powerful download manager for Windows, definitely try it out.

Pros:

  • Modern UI
  • Easy auto organization of downloaded files
  • Support torrent downloads
  • Free to use

Cons:

  • Sometimes it is a bit slow to parse the links

Visit: Website (free)

5. EagleGet

EagleGet is a free all-in-one download manager which can be integrated to Chrome, IE, Firefox, Opera, offering support for HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, MMS and RTSP protocol. What this means is that the software can automatically catch download links from the above-mentioned browsers thereby allowing you to download files without any problem.

Just like the other download managers on this list, EagleGet uses advanced multi-threaded technology to speed up connections so that you get speedier downloads. It also supports all the other features including multiple downloads, the ability to pause and resume downloads, adjusting the priority of downloads, bandwidth allocations, and more.

5. EagleGet

One of the best features of EagleGet is its built-in malware checker and file integrity verifier. The feature protects users from virus attacks while at the same time ensures that the downloaded file is genuine and original. The software is completely free to download and use, however, you have to either agree to see ads or share your bandwidth with other users who are using this software.

In a way, it acts similarly to a torrent where you have to share your bandwidth for being able to download files. If you like what you read here, download EagleGet by clicking on the link below.

Pros:

  • Speedier downloads
  • Built-in malware checker
  • Support for sequential downloads

Cons:

  • Free but with ads

Visit: Website (free)

6. uGet

uGet is yet another open source download manager for Windows which is completely free to use. It brings features such as multi-connection downloads which uses file splitting to increase download speeds, batch download with file queuing, and the ability to resume and pause downloads without having to start the downloads from the beginning. One of my favorite things about uGet is its looks.

The app automatically adjusts its appearance based on the color scheme and icons of the operating system it is installed on. Apart from the normal light and dark themes, uGet also comes with various hybrid themes which really make this app stand out from the rest.

6. uGet

Other features of the app include a clipboard manager which monitors your clipboard for any copied download link and prompts you to ask if you would like to download those files, browser integration with Chrome, Firefox, Chromium, Opera, and Vivaldi, and support for multiple mirrors protocol among other things.

I have used uGet in the past and I quite like its user interface. The download speeds were also great and the app works exactly as advertised. It’s a good option for anyone looking for a free and ad-less download manager for Windows.

Pros:

  • Beautiful dark mode
  • Integration with most popular browsers
  • Support for batch download with file queuing
  • Theming capabilities

Cons:

  • Installation and configuration is a bit hard

Visit: Website (free)

7. Xtreme Download Manager

Xtreme Download Manager is one of the oldest download manager available for Windows and it works great. The app is best for handling downloads of video content as it supports link parsing for most of the major video platforms including YouTube, Dailymotion, Facebook, Vimeo, Google Video and 1000+ other websites. That does not mean to say that it is only good for downloading videos.

On the contrary, just like all the other download managers on this list, Xtreme Download Manager works with all file types. That being said, it is best for downloading video files. One of my favorite features of XDM is the ability to download entire playlists from YouTube without having to input links for individual videos.

xdm download manager

The app also seamlessly integrates with Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox Quantum, Opera, Vivaldi and other Chromium and Firefox based browsers. Other features of Xtreme Download Manager include the ability to pause and resume downloads, scheduling of download time using the built-in smart scheduler, speed limiter which helps in managing bandwidth allocation, support for proxy servers, authentication algorithms, and more. As you can see XDM is a powerful download manager and it definitely deserves a place on this list.

Pros:

  • Support for all the popular video hosting websites
  • Playlist download support
  • Support for download scheduling

Cons:

  • The UI could have been better

Visit: Website (free)

8. aria2

Unlike other download managers included on this list, aria2 is a command-line download utility. It supports HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, SFTP, BitTorrent and Metalink. One handy feature of aria2 is that it can download a file from multiple sources. You can also use aria2 as a full-fledged BitTorrent client with features like DHT, PEX, encryption, magnet URI, web-seeding, selective downloads, local peer discovery, and UDP tracker. At just 4MB, aria2 is a lightweight download manager that you should check out if you are comfortable with the command line interface.

aria2

Pros:

  • Lightweight
  • Segmented downloading
  • Free to use

Cons:

  • No GUI
  • Command line interface might not be for everyone

Visit: Website (free)

9. Internet Download Accelerator

Internet Download Accelerator is a good download manager program for Windows which aims to solve the three biggest problem people face when downloading files using a browser; download speeds, the ability to resume broken downloads, and the management of downloaded files. Just like the other download managers on this list, Internet Download Accelerator increases the download speeds by splitting a file being downloaded into several parts and then downloading these parts at the same time.

IDAIt also resumes broken downloads from HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP servers. The IDA also integrates with all the major browsers including Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, Mozilla, Opera, Netscape, Safari, Yandex.Browser, Vivaldi, and others to give a seamless downloading experience. If none of the above download managers meet your needs, you should give this one a try.

Pros:

  • Support for all the major browsers
  • Ability to resume broken downloads
  • Easy management of downloaded files

Cons:

  • Limited multi-threading capabilities

Visit: Website (free, $9.95)

10. Free Rapid Downloader

The last download manager app for Windows on our list is the Free Rapid Downloader which is a fairly good download manager with all the important features. It is is an easy to use Java downloader that supports file downloads from Rapidshare, Youtube, Facebook, Picasa and other file-sharing services, including the new ones like Mega. The ability to download files from file sharing services such as Rapidshare and Mega is one of the best features of this app.

10. Free Rapid DownloaderOther features of the app include support for concurrent downloading from multiple services, downloading files using a proxy list, support for streaming videos or pictures, smart clipboard monitoring, and more. If you download a ton of files from file-sharing websites, this is the best download manager for you.

Pros:

  • Support for popular video hosting and file sharing websites
  • Smart clipboard monitoring
  • Streaming support for videos

Cons:

  • Link parsing is on the slower side

Visit: Website (free)

Download Files Easily with These Windows Download Managers

That ends our list of the best download managers for Windows that you can use. I have included both paid and free download managers here so everyone can enjoy the benefits of using a download manager. Do check out the list and let us know which is your favorite download manager amongst them all. Also, if you are not keen on using separate apps, you should check out download manager Chrome extensions that bring similar features. They are not as powerful, but they get the job done.

comment Comments 51
  • Dido says:

    Ant download manager is great. It can download mp4 from websites while using IDM on the same website only downloads .ts

  • Mark says:

    Why did you miss AntDM? it’s weird…

  • Saadi says:

    “Ant Download Manager” is the best. Just try it.

  • Juan says:

    Ant Download Manager ?

  • Cruster says:

    JDownloader is absolutely riddled with malware and adware. Avoid! At the time of writing (28/02/2019) I’ve only just now managed to delete the whole sorry crap from my machine.

    • dan says:

      jdownloader works absolutely perfectly for me, for what’s worth. I’d suggest you give it another try since it captures downloads such as streaming videos other download managers such as IDM can’t.You can also install plugins both for general utility and to work with specific websites. Probably one of the top download managers out there.

      • Anonymous says:

        For me it never detected any playing video

  • Jim Kress says:

    JDownloader has malware detected by Malwarebytes in the download package.

    • Rachit Agarwal says:

      Thank you for comment. We didn’t have any issue with Jdownloader. However, we will check it out and update the article if we find any malware.

  • Dev says:

    Try iDownload Manager, has all the features of a standard download manager. App is new, gets frequent updates, Dev is responsive. Best thing is that it is available in Windows store, so auto-update and stuff are available.
    Free of cost the app is.

    • Mduduzi Sibisi says:

      Are you the dev. Cause I must admit, it’s an impressive application.

  • Zaka says:

    Eagle get is best but some how it is unable to download from youtube directly.

  • LaserGuy says:

    I was hoping to see a PC version of the Android ‘Advance Download Manager’ That App has a built in browser that also blocks all those rotten little popup windows full of scammers and bulls**t.. It shows you as it blocks stuff, and when the download arrow appears click it and your ready to go without any chance of getting the current Mumbai ‘technical assistant’ Scams locking up your computer and telling you to dial the 1-800 number to release it..(cntrl/alt/del and your task manager application fixes that,)

  • Aviansh Sharma says:

    Try XDM Xtream Download Manager

    • DIEGO XP says:

      great tip! bro

  • Aviansh Sharma says:

    Guys, you should try Xtream Download Manager its free fast and is really well organized.

    • Minuk says:

      is it faster than IDM?

  • Steven says:

    Mostly outdated no longer updated download managers. I could not believe Flashget is on this list. It has not been updated since 2009 and does NOT work very well with anything anymore. I know this because when it first came out, it was the download manager to use. Nowadays, it is virtually useless as it does not handle HTTPS connections or Magnet links.

    That said, when you find a link/.protocol it does know, it works brilliantly.

    Do yourself a favour beforte downloading and installing any of the programs on this page … check the version numober of the file and what year it was updated last.

  • Doodo says:

    What the Fuck? Eagelget is not here!!! This is a fucking post I ever see .Eagleget is better then Idm and its free….

  • alex says:

    best for me is to download fast from any site I choose. Eagleget stops at 99% and you have to click on resume many times to start and finish. Jdownloader sometimes work but I think it is slow. DAP I don’t think that works well unless it is pro version. FDM is good but doesn’t integrate and download everything. and finally IDM works well only if its registrated ( $$$)

    • don says:

      you can get idm crack version from crackingpatching dot com. jdownloader is slow but keep it in mind in case you need to download something ohter downloaders are having a hard time of.

  • parvez hassan says:

    The Best Vdownloader Alternative for Mac and Windows – Allavsoft which can download 4K videos, HD videos and all other videos or playlists from YouTube, Vine, Vimeo, Twitter, RuTube, Facebook, Naver, Viddler, ESPN, Viki, etc.

  • George says:

    Hard to trust now because

    1. Orbit Dowloader is classified as malware now, and has been removed by Softpedia and other download portals because of it’s embedded DDos code. It’s not been updated for more than 3 yrs since writing this post.

    2. EagleGet is not present in this list. This is exactly similar to IDM with almost all of it’s features with better video detection capability and is totally free..

    Please browse through the internet and update accordingly. Would’t hurt.

  • me says:

    I know there are a lot of download manager out there and here just mention a couple, but not the best as title say.
    What best mean in first place? it depende of the user of course.
    To me the best is the faster, simple as that. I just want my files quickly and exit the program don’t want enything else.
    I have installed all of those and downloaded the same file from the same server with the same machine, (17GB of data by the way was the filesize). So i put all those download managers to 1 to 1 comparison. Each donwload manager download the file 1 at time with all the settings in max conections and full speed. BTW my internet at home is 200MBps.
    The result of the faster is not listed and the name is UGET (ugetdm.com)
    is an ugly DM but was the only one in reach 15MB/s transfer rate.

    • Ramesh Agarwal says:

      As you said, the best is user subjective. As someone who likes to watch a lot of tv shows and anime offline (since I don’t have internet on 24/7), my personal favourite is WFDownloader App. I just put in the url, and then it grabs all the links and downloads them for me, neatly organized. I am a fan of this application.

  • Shahnewaz says:

    EagleGet?

  • Ishwar says:

    Where is getright ?

    • MobyDick says:

      I’m actually looking on this list because GetRight just doesn’t seem to work for me. Went to their web site and several of the support links don’t even seem to work. Still only have version 6.5, which I believe came out in 2016.
      GetRight is dead.

  • Mohammad says:

    Download manager is the best., my suggestion is to you

  • George says:

    Note that Orbit Downloader is a featured malware and has been removed from software repositories like Softpedia. Please update your content.

    And try EagleGet. It’s exactly like IDM but free and better.

    • Deepak Verma says:

      No, It’s Chinese. I can’t believe them. Just go with Xtreme Download manager completely free and Indian Brand.

      • Endian says:

        Who can believe on Endian Lol ?

  • Med says:

    Internet Download Manager is by far the best of them all IMO simply because it have a unique feature of refreshing/resuming broken or expired links again, which I didn’t see in any other single download manager.

    • Med is a muppet says:

      Jdownloader does this too.

      • akarsh mittal says:

        Don’t spread lies man. IDM provides the option to resume the download be refreshing the download link by ourselves which jdownloader does not provide. Jdownloader does try to refresh the link by itself but it doesn’t work some times and your downloading starts from beginning. GO IDM!

      • Alvin88 says:

        I just found XDM (xtreme download manager), gonna try it

  • gautam digrawal says:

    werr is torrent

    • sherali says:

      game bhi download hota hai movies bhi hoti

  • kenstp says:

    EagleGet is a very good free download manager and it can be integrated into most browsers (not Slimjet). I like it because I usually use Comodo Dragon browser.

    • Habtish says:

      I agree EagleGet is good and used to be my to go downloader but since recently, I doesn’t parse videos at all, it shows an error message on chrome.

  • jessendeen says:

    The Best Vdownloader Alternative for Mac and Windows – Allavsoft which can download 4K videos, HD videos and all other videos or playlists from YouTube, Vine, Vimeo, Twitter, RuTube, Facebook, Naver, Viddler, ESPN, Viki, etc.

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