Two years ago, I switched from Windows to a Mac. While it’s true that I couldn’t be happier, there are certain things that always bug me. For starters, Windows users have the luxury of using some great download managers like Internet Download Manager and Free Download Manager. I was a little surprised by the fact that Mac didn’t have any of those. So I began searching for alternatives and tried a dozen download managers, so you don’t have to. But first, let’s see why do we need a download manager.
Why Use a Download Manager in macOS?
Sure, you could just use your browser to download files. But, a download manager helps supercharge your downloading experience by splitting your download into multiple threads, resuming and prioritising downloads. So, if you’re the guy that downloads files on a day-to-day basis, you should definitely start using a download manager. Netizens, here are the very best download managers for Mac:
The Winner: Folx
Folx is the best download manager for Mac, hands down and with a good reason. It doubles down as a web-based downloader and a torrent downloader. In the Pro version, you can also search from torrent websites right from the app itself.
Folx gives you the flexibility to prioritize your downloads. So, you can control the speed of your each individual download, to make sure the most important ones get downloaded first.
Powerful browser integration is yet another reason why I recommend using Folx. It integrates seamlessly with Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Opera. This ensures that you don’t have to navigate from your natural workflow to download a file. No more copy-pasting the links, just download from the browser as you normally would, and Folx would start downloading the file.
It also features a “Smart speed adjustment“, so when you’re browsing the web, it adjusts the speed of your downloads accordingly and your browsing experience is unhampered.
Other than these, it covers all the essentials like resuming downloads, schedule download tasks and lets you tag downloaded content for easy search.
Overall, if you’re looking for the best download manager for Mac, look no further and grab the free version of Folx today. The guys behind Folx also run some great deals on the Pro version, so there’s a good possibility of getting a discount on the regular price.
Download: Folx (Free Version) | Folx (Pro version, $19.95)
Runner-up: iGetter
iGetter could be another great alternative to Folx. iGetter accelerates download speed by splitting the file into multiple segments. Of course, it resumes broken downloads.
Like Folx, iGetter also features “Download scheduling“. Using this option, you can schedule your downloads during low traffic periods. iGetter also integrates well with all the major browsers. Furthermore, you can also selectively choose the type of file you download with iGetter. It monitors your clipboard for links and pastes it automatically in the downloading window.
Additionally, there are advanced settings like setting up a proxy or even changing the user agent.
Summing it up, iGetter comes a close second to Folx. This download manager is complete with all the essentials, and advanced users have lots of settings to play around. There’s no free version, but you can use the Pro version unregistered.
Download: iGetter (Pro version, $25)
Honorable Mentions
Progressive Downloader
Progressive Downloader allows you to schedule and resume downloads in a shiny and native user interface on Mac. It also integrates with all the major browsers and monitors clipboards for links. You can also limit download speeds individually and it also lets you shut down your Mac automatically after the download. Progressive Downloader gets all the basics right without overloading with a lot of features.
Download: Progressive Downloader (Free)
JDownloader 2
JDownloader 2 is an open-source and cross-platform download manager built in Java. It can resume broken downloads, set bandwidth limitation and schedule downloads. The downsides of JDownloader is two-fold. First, the user interface is unbearably messy and starting it up takes a much longer time than expected. If you are a FOSS enthusiast, JDownloader is worth checking out.
Download: JDownloader 2 (Free)
SEE ALSO: 22 Must Have Apps for First Time Mac Users
Try These Mac Download Managers
According to me, these are some of the best download managers for Mac. If you go heavy on downloading a large number of files, using a download manager would definitely help. Which download manager do you use on your Mac? I’d like to hear from you in the comments section below.
