When it comes to downloading a file from the Internet, using the download managers included in the web browsers themselves is not the best option. Let’s see, don’t get me wrong, if we want to download a single file that isn’t very heavy we won’t have any problems, but if we want something else, we’ll probably end up a bit frustrated.
To have better control of the entire process, it is best to use a download administrator or manager , either for mobile devices or for PC. This type of program allows us to speed up downloads, yes, but also pause and resume, and even set priorities when we want to download more than one file at a time.
The best download managers for a Windows PC
If you’re using a desktop or laptop, you can find several pretty good download managers on Windows, both free and paid. Some work as a browser plug-in, while others are installed as a stand-alone application.
Free Download Manager
One of the best free download managers for Windows , which is also open source. One of its greatest virtues is that it speeds up downloads considerably by dividing the file into smaller parts to make the process more efficient.
In addition to that, it has everything we can expect from a good manager, such as the ability to pause and resume downloads. As an extra, it is worth mentioning that it is also compatible with torrent files.
Download Free Download manager from its official website
Motrix
Motrix is a free and open source download manager that is available for Windows but also for other desktop systems like Mac and Linux. It supports FTP, BitTorrent and Magnet downloads, in addition to the classic HTTP downloads.
At the design level, it has one of the cleanest interfaces that we have seen in a long time, and allows up to a maximum of 10 simultaneous downloads and up to 64 threads. It also has another quite unique feature that allows us to limit upload options.
Download Motrix from its official website
Chrono Download Manager
Chrono is a free download manager available as an extension for the Google Chrome browser. Chrono replaces the standard browser download manager and is fully integrated into Chrome’s context menus, toolbars and keyboard shortcuts.
At the operational level, it can download several videos and images simultaneously, detect links as well as other multimedia content within a web page and filter them to speed up the entire process as much as possible.
As of today, Chrono is by far the most popular extension in the Chrome Web Store when it comes to download managers. Don’t lose sight of it.
Download Chrono from the Chrome Web Store
JDownloader
Personally, my favorite download manager (and the one I’ve been using for years). JDownloader is also free and open source, and packed with features. It is capable of detecting all the links that we save in the clipboard , and it is compatible with file download sites such as MEGA, Mediafire and the like.
It has tools for captcha recognition, multiple parallel downloads, automatic file extraction, password management, and support for encrypted links. It’s not bad at all.
Download JDownloader from its official website
Internet Download Manager
IDM is one of the most popular premium download managers that we can find today. It allows you to manage several downloads simultaneously, set priorities and even download videos from web pages simply by pasting the source URL.
In this sense, remember that it is only legal to download videos that are free and without copyright. For the rest, IDM also offers other interesting functions, such as the possibility of previewing compressed files (ZIP), download programming, and even synchronization with VPN to maintain the privacy of what you download from the network.
Internet Download Manager is priced at €11.99 per year, although it has a 30-day free trial period.
Download Internet Download Manager from its official website
Puget
Free and open source download manager. It is available for Windows, Linux, Android and BSD, one of its most outstanding features is its “Chameleon” interface, which adjusts the colors and icons according to the operating system on which it is installed.
The application allows you to divide each file into 16 segments that are downloaded simultaneously , supports mass downloads and has extensions for Firefox, Google Chrome, Chromium, Opera and Vivaldi.
Download uGet from its official website
Ninja Download Manager
Another download manager (in this case, paid) that stands out for its interface, with a modern and elegant design . Ninja is capable of speeding up downloads by up to 20 times over multiple simultaneous connections, pausing and resuming downloads, saving links to download later, and more.
It also allows you to adjust the bandwidth, capture links directly from the clipboard and incorporates a password manager to log in to web pages that require it more easily.
Ninja Download Manager is a premium app, and is currently priced at $19 for a single license, with updates guaranteed for one year.
Download Ninja Download Manager from its official website
Turbo Download Manager
Download manager that is installed as an extension for the Chrome browser. A recommended tool to speed up downloads or to improve their stability on low-quality networks.
At the functional level, it has everything you need: recovery from erroneous or interrupted downloads, controlled pauses, dynamic segmentation and improved support for audio/video files. In addition to all this, it is also open source and really light (it barely weighs 1MB).
Download Turbo Download Manager from the Chrome Web Store
Internet Download Accelerator
IDA is a download manager that takes us back in time, both because of the tool’s interface and because of its official website, which seems to have stagnated in the internet of the early 2000s. Regardless of its appearance, we are dealing with a utility with many positive things.
On the one hand, it allows you to speed up downloads by dividing the file into several parts and downloading them all at once. It also integrates seamlessly with most browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Opera) and supports FTP, HTTP, and HTTPS downloads.
Internet Download Accelerator is free, but there is also a PRO version available that costs about 10 euros and allows us to use the application for commercial purposes, in addition to unlocking some functions not included in the basic package.
Download Internet Download Accelerator from its official website
Download Accelerator Plus
DAP has two versions, one free and one paid. For most users, the free version will be more than enough, since it has everything you need to download files comfortably and quickly.
It includes a link checker, video preview, file conversion, and multiple connections to speed up downloads . That yes, from what it seems the application has not been updated since 2014, which would explain the slightly outdated design that it has, more typical of the Windows XP era.
The premium version, in addition to all this, also offers a set of additional privacy-oriented features, although at this time I would not recommend buying it (the website does not have an HTTPS certificate). Of course, the free version is highly recommended.
Download Download Accelerator Plus from its official website
If you have been left wanting more, you may also be interested in:
