We are quite rich in terms of web browsers! Nevertheless, it’s a bit surprising to know that even some quite popular web browsers cannot satisfy when it comes to managing downloads — be that Google Chrome or Mozilla. Often, you would have hated the lack of resume-download feature, and it’s exactly one of the reasons why you should utilize an effective download manager. There are other reasons as well, such as enhanced download speed, feature to manage multiple downloads without effecting browsing experience etc. In this post, we’ve listed top 10 download managers for Windows, which we hope will help almost every Pro internet user out there. We do hope you will be interested in trying out any of these at least for the sake of stable and improved download speed — who doesn’t like speed, after all?
1. Free Download Manager
Free Download Manager — often referred to as FDM — is a combination of easy-to-use interface and a powerful set of features. Furthermore, FDM is a superb alternative to Internet Download Manager, which is premium. Of course, there is a noticeable increase in download speed when you use Free Download Manager and the feature to pause & resume downloads anytime is a blessing for those who are from Chrome scenario. Apart from HTTP and FTP, FDM is offering support for torrent downloading as well, which too is quick when compared with other tools out there.
One of the other notable features of Free Download Manager is the ability to store different files in different folders, making the total file-management experience easier. Plus, FDM has an integrated media player that helps you view downloaded files without opening another tool. There is a Lite version of Free Download Manager available, and this version compromises features, as to work smooth on low-configuration PCs.
Altogether, Free Download Manager is simply a superb download manager for Windows, especially when you prefer an open-source, free one! We loved the no-ad UI as well.
2. Internet Download Manager
Internet Download Manager has been popular as an impressive download manager software, which claims to bring a more or less increased speed and stability during downloads. Apart from integration with popular web browsers out there, IDM gives you drag-and-drop system and command line support when it comes to managing your downloads. There is a timer, which allows you to schedule your downloads. Of course, It has basic download management features such as the ability to keep different files in different categories and queue support etc.
In addition, when coming to the latest version of IDM, you can see support for Windows 10, ability to get video from web players, MMS protocol support etc along with a wide range of performance improvements. Also, if you have fair usage policy-based connections, the feature to set quotas will be quite useful. If you’re into the developer-based scenario, you will love the Site Spider and Grabber.
Thus, if you are ready to spend, Internet Download Manager will surely enhance the way you download files, let that be in terms of speed or stability. It costs $29.95!
3. Download Accelerator Plus
Download Accelerator Plus is another free download manager, whose primary intention is to accelerate speed of the downloads. Making use of the dynamic download engine, DAP can give you the best download speed, as it also finds multiple sources to download a single file. There are also some stunning features in DAP and all these features have been brought using an ultra-simple User Interface that makes sense in the long run. Now, we’re speaking about free version of Download Accelerator Plus, but there’s a premium version with advanced capabilities.
Other noticeable features of Download Accelerator Plus include support for downloading videos from YouTube and a few popular video streaming sites, ability to convert YouTube files to MP3 and download them right away, its option to play video even before it’s finished, FTP Browser, in-built video converter etc. In the premium version of DAP, you get more features like File Shredder, ZIP Preview and Trace Cleaner.
Download Accelerator Plus is a blend of easy-to-use User Interface & powerful download engine. Obviously, the free version is enough, but you’ve the freedom to go further by paying $24.95.
4. JDownloader
Yet another free, open-source software for download management, JDownloader brings standard features in a really convenient form. The software is written in Java and it helps you pause and resume downloads as you prefer, along with some impressive features such as multiple file download option, support for popular content sites like YouTube and Vimeo. Apart from Windows version, JDownloader is available for Mac, Linux and other developer-based things. In terms of comparison, we would say JDownloader is for those who download a lot.
For instance, JDownloader gets a new IP address when a particular service has blocked your IP from availing full level speed. Also, the availability of around 300 plugins will help you deal with various services like UCMS and WordPress. What makes this open-source software different is the availability of 24-hour support that helps you clear doubts & queries of yours. In terms of looks and UI, you have features like support for various themes and multiple languages. Despite all these features, JDownloader is a minimalistic solution for download managing.
When you prefer open-source and free to the premium ones, JDownloader is indeed a good-to-go solution, not only for Windows but also Mac and Linux.
5. DownThemAll
DownThemAll is not actually a standalone download manager, but an extension for Mozilla Firefox browser, which is capable of bringing you advanced download management features inside the free browser. Obviously, you wouldn’t be able to compare DownThemAll with the fully-fledged download managers we mentioned above; it’s definitely an impressive solution when you need enhanced downloading speed and customization of downloads as per priority of yours. Yet there are some impressive features.
While the complete integration with Mozilla Firefox gives maximum results, the feature to spider pages will be quite useful in the long run. Going to another aspect, you have auto-renaming features as well. Altogether, DownThemAll is one of the best built-in download manager you are going to have — just within Mozilla, by the way. It’s as simple as that.
6. Orbit Downloader
Orbit Downloader is a fully-fledged download manager for Windows, giving you the options to download everything, at an enhanced level of speed and performance. Orbit Downloader calls itself the Download Manager Revolution, as it has integrated options for downloading from content providing sites like Pandora, YouTube etc. All these required features are accompanied by a simpler User Interface, which consumes relatively smaller amount of resources only. It also has some extensive features.
Orbit Downloader offers support for a variety of protocols such as HTTP, FTP, MMS, RTSP etc. Also, you have a feature to set up proxy server along with general options for general management. In addition, it offers RapidShare support, which lets you download files quickly from file-hosting sites. Of course, Orbit Downloader gives you superb level of support.
In short, Orbit Downloader is a minimalistic yet powerful tool for Windows PCs. It’s free, by the way.
7. FlashGet
FlashGet has a lot of download management-based features to offer, all brought together using a simpler UI! Even as it makes use of least amount of resources, it can optimize downloads, giving you a speed that is impressive enough! At the same time, FlashGet offers support for various downloading protocols such as HTTP, FTP, BT and eMule. All these features are combined with a set of features that let you manage files you have downloaded, such as the one to search, rename, drag-and-drop transfer.
Despite weighing incredibly low, FlashGet has superb features to offer, such as the support for skins that you can get and install. Also, there are some interesting add-ons available for FlashGet. For instance, It lets you get files downloaded in a remote PC through an email (given that FlashGet is installed in that PC).
Recalling all these features, FlashGet is indeed promising as a software to manage downloads in your Windows PC! It has some features that can do well in professional environments as well. After all, it’s free to use.
8. Download Ninja
We already mentioned that Google Chrome is not at all sufficient when it comes to managing downloads! Download Ninja is an option that lets you extend Chrome to have some advanced capabilities when it comes to downloads. This tool is actually an extension of Download Ninja, which is a fully-fledged download manager for PCs. By installing this extension in your Chrome browser, you can add your downloads to Download Ninja in a click — simple as that. All its features are superb, we bet.
Apart from pausing and resuming downloads, there are features like Download Queuing, speed limiting, shredding files, support for multiple languages, availability of themes and ability to edit themes as per your taste and needs. If we are to consider all these, Download Ninja is indeed a great Chrome extension you have.
9. Internet Download Accelerator
Accompanied by a lot of impressive features, Internet Download Accelerator is just an awesome software when it does come to the case of downloading files and managing them in an effective manner. Of course, the User Interface is so simple that you will love using it for download management; for instance, it has Active Visual Cart that lets you run the tool without actually opening it in a fully-fledged window. It is indeed an addition to the productivity, we believe. In addition, IDA has some impressive features when it comes to dealing with web-based content.
Although the design may look rudimentary, you should not underestimate abilities of IDA! It has a lot of features such as the ZIP Preview, option to watch videos even when download is halfway, FTP Explorer & a lot of others.
Of course, taking the availability of features and other capabilities into the account, IDA is a good-to-go option when you don’t mind the old-looking UI. Indeed, you can go with it.
10. Microsoft Download Manager
We end our list of top 10 download managers for Windows with a tool from Microsoft! Microsoft Download Manger is a simple-enough tool — which weighs less than 2 MB — to manage your downloads, whether they are broken and paused for the convenience of yours. The tool is now available for Windows 7,8,8.1 and 10, and it comes as an integrated solution for devices running later versions of Windows. You cannot expect that many features but you can manage your downloads smoothly — regardless the size of files you’ve to get.