Download managers are very useful tools that help you manage all your downloads regardless of the source.
One of the worst things that can happen is downloading a larger file to have a hard time finding it on your computer.
Web browsers give you the ability to track your downloads, but they’re far from perfect. That’s why download managers are becoming increasingly popular.
And if you’ve tried download managers but weren’t satisfied, you’re in the right place. In this post, I’ll tell you more about download managers and why choosing an open-source download manager is a great idea.
You’ll also find 15 of the best open-source download managers, so keep on reading!
What is a Download Manager and Why Would You Need One?
A download manager is a simple tool that can track all your downloads and manage them efficiently for the user.
Old-school download managers used to be standalone tools that you download and install to your computer. However, nowadays, they tend to be integrated into the web browser or are a lightweight version that doesn’t require installation.
Unfortunately, even with a download manager, it can happen that you don’t successfully download the file or that you “lose” it on your computer and can’t find the download destination.
Also, download managers aren’t always accurate when it comes down to the downloading process, or they tend to slow down the download speed for several reasons. On top of that, download managers might not give you as many customizable options either.
These are just some of the reasons why you might need a download manager. Luckily, you can find many different download managers, so you won’t ever have to rely on an integrated web browser download manager.
Benefits of Open Source Download Managers
If you’re convinced that you need a download manager, you should consider an open-source download manager.
Why?
Open source brings a lot more benefits than people think. For example, open-source download managers are more customizable.
They can help you set desired settings, limit bandwidth and speed for each download, and even customize the tool’s interface.
Open-source download managers also tend to integrate malware checkers (or you can integrate one by yourself), so you won’t only have to rely on your antivirus protection.
On top of that, you can often integrate download lists from closed-source download managers so the transition will be smooth, and yet you’ll benefit from all new features.
File organization, priority control, download categories, and even integrated offline readers are just some of the features that will make you never want to go back to regular download managers.
Open source also means that download managers are either free or are cheaper to run, are backed by a community, and are getting regular updates.
Therefore, security and stability are never an issue.
15 Best Open Source Download Managers
Download managers are great tools, and if you’re looking for an upgrade, there’s no better solution than an open-source download manager. Get more features, more customizability, and a better user experience with one of the options below!
1. Xtreme Download Manager
Xtreme Download Manager is one of the best open-source download managers. It comes with an advanced algorithm that improves the download speed, download files, and introduces new features.
Xtreme Download Manager relies on open-source code, but it has a sophisticated algorithm for segmentation that ensures the optimal download speed for all users.
For example, it compresses the data, and with the reuse connection in place, Xtreme Download Manager claims to improve the reliability of the downloads and improve its speed up to 500%. But, of course, your actual internet speed will play a role in the download speed you can achieve.
But with that being said, Xtreme Download Manager will automatically ensure high download quality by automatically resuming broken or dead links.
Xtreme Download Manager is compatible with all operating systems such as macOS, Windows, and Linux, but it’s also integratable into browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, etc. Of course, I should also mention that Xtreme Download Manager is free to use.
2. JDownloader 2
JDownloader 2 is one of the top open-source download managers because it has a high part of its code based on the open-source code. It is more popular than various other tools in its class, especially because it is packed with useful features.
One of the most interesting features is auto-captcha solving, which helps solve any captcha your downloads encounter even if you aren’t present. You can also use JDownloader 2 to set bandwidth limits on any active download and pause and resume downloads at any time.
J2Downloader 2 even features various themes you can apply to improve the interface, which is another advantage of open-source download managers.
This tool is available for Windows, Linux, macOS, and Java-based operating systems, and it’s free to use. I should also mention that it offers multi-language support too.
3. uGet Download Manager
uGet Download Manager is one of the oldest open-source download managers. It is still a great pick because it’s very reliable, lightweight, and easy to use.
If you love multitasking, uGet Download Manager is a great pick because it allows you to keep multiple downloads in a list with full control over each download. For example, you can pause or resume a download or create a queue of downloads that will automatically download one after another.
Of course, you can add downloads from various sources and keep them all in one list.
One of the most useful features is scheduled downloads which you can use to set a new download to start right after your first download finishes.
uGet Download Manager is fully built on the open-source code publicly available on SourceForge, yet it’s compatible with Windows, Linux, and macOS operating systems.
Of course, uGet Download Manager is free to use.
4. Turbo Download Manager
Turbo Download Manager is a very popular option because it is an open-source tool based on multi-threading technology.
This technology improves the download speed, allows you to download more files at once without slowing down your network, and it even ensures that Turbo Download Manager doesn’t waste too many resources while it’s working in the background.
On top of that, you will have standard features such as pause or resume, so you are in full control of what downloads will finish first.
However, the most interesting feature is preview mode, where you can preview media files (such as photos, videos, or audio files) while the download is still in progress.
This is perfect for everyone who loves downloading movies, and yet with this feature, you won’t have to wait for the download to finish to enjoy your movie.
Turbo Download Manager is free to download, and it is compatible with macOS, Windows, Linux, and it even has an Android version for smartphones. It can also be integrated directly into your browser.
5. DownThemAll
DownThemAll is a great open-source download manager for everyone who is still a loyal Firefox browser user and wants to better manage its browser downloads.
With DownThemAll, you can install it directly into your Firefox browser as an extension from where you get to control all your in-browser downloads.
DownThemAll improves control by adding most-needed features such as one-click download ability, categorizations (filtering), download pausing, and resuming (without stopping the download).
On top of that, DownThemAll is good at improving the download speed and removing any Firefox limits, so your browser downloads live up to the potential of your actual internet speed.
What’s also great about DownThemAll is that it’s not a standalone version, so there’s no download requirement. Instead, all you have to do is install it directly through your Firefox browser, and you’ll never want to download in-browser files without it!
6. aria2
If you don’t like when a browser or even a standalone download manager is hogging down your speed capabilities, aria 2 is a great option.
Aria2 is a command-line-based download manager based on the open-code source, and it’s one of the lightest download managers that exist.
It can be considered a BitTorrent client yet with its features kept in a stripped-down interface (command-line) that won’t limit you or your download speed.
Aria2 has features such as web-seeding, selective downloads, local peer discovery, UDP tracker, and even encryption for safe downloads.
With aria2, you can download almost any files from the internet without any limitations, and you can even use links such as meta links that you would usually use with a torrent client to start downloads.
Aria2 is compatible with macOS, Windows, and even Android devices for free.
7. PicoTorrent
If you’re a big fan of torrents and you’d like a combination of torrent and a download manager client, PicoTorrent is a great open-source download manager.
It’s a lightweight torrent client with a very well-known torrent interface that is very easy to use and packed with essential features.
What’s so great about PicoTorrent is that it doesn’t consume many resources when managing your downloads in the background. However, I like that there are no ads, and yet it offers high performance.
It’s a very solid open-source option that is very portable and can be used to download files and media from any source on the internet.
You can run a list of downloads (queue-like) thanks to the selective downloads feature.
PicoTorrent is available for Windows and it is available in 28 languages.
8. BiglyBT
If you’re looking for an open-source download manager that’s packed with features you’ve been missing on, BiglyBT is a great option.
BiglyBt is based on open source yet operates like a BitTorrent client that has been around for almost two decades.
What’s so great about BiglyBT is that it allows users to limit download rates per download. This means that you can download multiple files simultaneously, yet you can spread the download speed to efficiently keep all downloads active.
Another unique feature is a remote control that allows you to control the BiglyBT client through an Android device.
BiglyBT also comes packed with privacy features, a media playback (preview) feature, and even a built-in WebTorrent tracker.
I like that BiglyBT has features that improve downloads, such as tags, metasearch, or swarm discoveries.
BiglyBT is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and even Android devices for free.
9. Persepolis Download Manager
If you’re a fan of aria2 yet you love using an interface instead of using the command line, Persepolis Download Manager is a great option that combines these two options.
While it can serve as the interface for aria2, Persepolis is a standalone download manager based on open-source code.
Persepolis Download Manager offers multi-segment downloading, scheduling downloads, download queuing, and a couple of other essential features such as pausing or resuming the downloads as a standalone version.
However, the feature that surprised me the most is the ability to directly download videos from YouTube, DailyMotion, and others.
The tool on its own is pretty light, and it has a very simple yet attractive interface that won’t take you long to figure out.
Persepolis Download Manager is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, and it’s free to use. I should also mention that Persepolis is updated frequently. In combination with robust features, this makes it a very reliable open-source download manager.
10. Shareaza
Shareaza is a download manager and a client that helps users manage and improve peer-to-peer downloads. Therefore, this open-source download manager is a great crossover of torrent and a download manager.
Shareaza works by connecting to four peer-to-peer networks where you have access to hundreds of thousands of users, ensuring great download speed through peer-to-peer connections.
With this system, you can download anything available on the internet, and yet you won’t ever feel bogged down by a standard download manager or an in-browser downloader.
Shareaza’s interface is very simple, and it’s very easy to get used to it. What I like the most about it is that all features are neatly placed to use them to your advantage immediately.
You will be able to download from multiple sources simultaneously, find fines thanks to the advanced Global Searching engine, have access to results tabs, and even get to see comments or user reviews of files you think of downloading.
Such social proof is rare to see, but it can save you a lot of time in the long run. Moreover, Shareaza is compatible with the Windows operating system, and it is free to download.
11. Multithreaded Download Manager
Everyone knows that multi-threaded technology provides better and more stable download speeds.
However, it’s hard to find an in-browser download manager based on the multi-threaded technology.
It was only until Multithreaded Download Manager was introduced to Firefox browser users.
With Multithreaded Download Manager, you can download files from multiple sources using multiple connections simultaneously, without slowing down your downloads or slowing down your Firefox browser.
Multithreaded Download Manager is all about performance, and even though there aren’t too many features included, it is a far better option than the integrated Firefox download manager.
Even though I wish more multi-threaded web-browser download managers, unfortunately, Multithreaded Download Manager is only compatible with the Firefox browser for now. On the bright side, it’s free to use!
12. KTorrent
If you’re a fan of torrent download managers, KTorrent is a great open-source download manager option.
KTorrent is a lightweight and very minimal downloader that combines a torrent client and a download manager.
It’s full of features that help users manage downloads, but it also improves the way you track your downloads and the way you start your downloads.
Queuing in place improves tracking, while speed limits allow you to utilize all your internet speed and spread it across various downloads so you can download multiple files at the same time.
KTorrent supports all types of files, and you can download from all internet sources, yet on top of that, it also fully supports torrent files.
With plenty of built-in functionalities combined in a simple interface, KTorrent is a great free option compatible with Linux OS.
13. Halite
Suppose you’re trying to find a crossover between torrent clients and download managers that is lightweight yet won’t slow down your computer. In that case, Halite is a great open-source download manager.
Halite is a download manager based on a libtorrent library and is equipped with a standard download manager.
This combination ensures that users can track torrents and regular downloads from all web sources in one tool.
With a minimalistic interface and a low footprint, Halite’s performance is worth the change, and even though it doesn’t have many advanced options, it is highly convenient.
My favorite option is scheduled queue, which is well combined with a shutdown scheduler. This way, you can set all your desired downloads to run, and Halite will then turn off your computer when all downloads finish.
Halite is compatible with the Windows operating system, and it is free to download.
14. Envy
When you need the most versatile open-source download manager, Envy is the right choice.
Envy is a powerful download manager based on open-source code which works well with any source to help you manage downloads directly through Envy.
With that being said, you can manage downloads from BitTorrent, “HTTP” protocols, DC++, Gnutella, and many other large sources.
I like the most about Envy because it allows you to list and browse public files so you can find files to download directly through Envy’s connections.
Envy can serve as a peer-to-peer sharing client, file sharing & downloading manager, and torrent with versatility.
It is frequently getting updated, and experienced coders can improve the tool by working on the public open-source code. While Envy is free, it is only compatible with Windows operating systems.
15. βTorrent
When it’s the time for an upgrade, there is no better than going for an open-source download manager that’s well known for its reliability, performance but also the options it provides.
βTorrent is a great option which is a web-based download manager, and that’s rare to see. When you visit the official βTorrent website, you’ll be looking directly at the interface of a download manager/torrent manager.
From there, you can input your download links or sources and start downloading immediately.
Even though the interface is pretty minimalistic, βTorrent has all the needed features to help you track multiple downloads, queue them, improve the download speed, and spread your internet over a couple of different downloads simultaneously.
βTorrent also has an integrated button to open torrent files directly if you don’t have a download link. However, if you do have a download link, you will download anything you can find on the web.
When you’re done downloading, you can seed files with the integrated feature to pay it forward and help others.
Conclusion
Finding a perfect open-source download manager can be hard, but when you know what you’re missing from your current download manager, the choice gets easier.
Open-source download managers tend to provide a lot more options and features, and they’re a lot more customizable.
While every download manager works differently, and you won’t be disappointed by any of these options, I recommend you to check out each option closely to find a download manager that will fit your needs the best.
Xtreme Download Manager is one of the best open-source download managers, so if you have no idea where to start, this is a great starting point!
