Although all the modern browsers have built-in download managers, they seldom suffice the need. Most of them miss out on basic features like download scheduling or bandwidth limit. On top of that, for some reason, the retry download button never really works. For long, I have been using IDM on Windows as my go-to download manager. And when I made the switch to Ubuntu, I was in a dire need of a good download manager as IDM doesn’t exist on Linux. So, to cut the slack here is my curated list of best download managers for Ubuntu.
7 Best download manager for Ubuntu
Xtreme Download Manager is available from Sourceforge and Github. This is a free tool and there are also versions for Windows, Unix and Mac OS. It can speed up downloads, and even increase the download speed by a factor of five. Like DAP, XDM can retry corrupted links and resume interrupted downloads.
- XDM (Xtreme Download Manager) is a free download manager for PC available for Windows, Mac and Linux. XDM has all the features of IDM (Internet download Manager) and the download speed of XDM is same as IDM but the only difference between IDM and XDM is that XDM is free and IDM is paid. So XDM can be a better option comparing to IDM.
- Aug 04, 2020 Xtreme Download Manager (XDM) If you are looking for an alternative to IDM, then XDM or Xtreme Download manager will be perfect for you. It has a similar interface to IDM. It is a cross-platform software available for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. XDM is easy to install and use. It has a straight forward interface.
- Xtreme Download Manager might not be famous yet, but it's going places. If you don't mind the fact that it's using Java, you will find the XDM is much more interesting and useful than you would.
Every download manager claims to be the fastest. Hence, in order to test the claim, I downloaded a 2 GB file through all the download managers listed below and noted the time. My laptop was connected to a wireless network where download managers really shine as compared to the wired network. The recorded download time is stated after every download manager’s description. We will compare the speeds and process at the end of this article.
1. uGet
uGet is a popular standalone download manager with a recently released browser extension. The good thing is it silently monitors your clipboard to detect a file download URL. Now, when you click on the “New Download” button, you will find your last copied URL in the textbox. But, my favorite feature was the ability to categorize downloads. This way I can categorize the various types of files I have downloaded over time. It really comes in handy when I have to search for the file at a later point of time because we all know the Download folder is such a mess.
If you head over to the Settings, you will find various advanced options like Download scheduler, bandwidth limiter, proxy-server, etc. Previously, uGet didn’t support download videos from video streaming sites like Metacafe, etc. However, now with the addition of plugins like curl, aria2 you can download videos from video streaming sites.
What’s good?
- Minimal UI with basic controls like credentials, proxy servers, etc.
- Ability to categorize your download history
- Clipboard integrator
- Video download with the help of plugins like aria2, curl, etc
- Download scheduler and network bandwidth limiter
What’s not?
- Does not support native video downloads
Download Time: 43:37 mins
Download uGet
2. DownThemAll
Unlike all the other apps in this list, DownThemAll is only a chrome extension and the boundaries are restricted only up to the browser window. It is a bare-bones download manager and you don’t get any fancy features like FTP, download scheduler, download queues, etc. However, you do get some useful features like the ability to set maximum bandwidth or the number of concurrent downloads.
The main USP of this tool is the “DownThemAll” button. As soon as you click on the button, it summarizes a whole list of downloadable content on the webpage. Upon confirmation, it will download all of them in one go. DownThemAll should work well for users who seldom download files over the Internet. The only problem I found is the inability to download video files from video streaming sites.
What’s good?
- One-click download button to get all media on a webpage
- Options to limit the number of downloads and bandwidth to use
- Option to turn off system after download
What’s not?
- Cannot download video files from video streaming website
Download Time: 01:05:00
3. JDownloader
JDownloader is a fairly old open-source download manager for Linux and the UI of the tool would agree to that as well. You get all the basic features of a download manager like resume/pause downloads, retry failed downloads, create download queues, etc. Apart from these, JDownloader also provides the option to customize every little function. You can decide the number of segments the download file has to be broken down into. Additionally, you can also decide the number of file downloads and maximum bandwidth to be consumed.
JDownloader supports all the popular protocols like HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, DTP, UDP, etc. You can also set up authentication-based download servers so you don’t need to manually sign in every time. My most favorite feature is the Event Scripter which lets you execute scripts based on JDownloader actions. So, I can set up an entire system shutdown when the download finishes.
JDownloader has all the features you could ask for in a download manager. However, the UI seems too outdated and the settings are quite buried under menus. The development also lags behind as the software also last updated in 2016.
What’s good?
![Xdm download manager Xdm download manager](/uploads/1/2/6/5/126551779/792503831.jpg)
- Available in different languages and platforms
- Support for protocols like HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, UDP, etc
- Option to set up proxy and authentication based servers
- Options to run shell scripts on JDownloader events
- Option to queue and schedule downloads
- Inbuilt Archive manager to extract and unrar files
What’s not?
- Doesn’t have a browser extension
Download time: 47:57
Download JDownloader
4. Xtreme Download Manager (XDM)
Xtreme Download Manager (XDM) is the most popular download manager for all the platforms. I have used it previously on Windows and this is the most ideal alternative for anyone switching from Microsoft. It does come with all the usual options like pause/resume and retry a failed download. Apart from these, XDM also has a browser extension for multiple browsers like Firefox, Chrome, Vivaldi, Opera, etc. This extension sets up a bottom download widget on every webpage which lets you quickly download a video while streaming on the web.
My most favorite feature is the option to prevent hibernate. Mostly, I keep ISO’s or custom ROMs for download throughout the night. Often, the laptop goes to sleep mode or hibernates due to inactivity which breaks the file download. This way the laptop stays wake until the download completes. Additionally, you can set up an antivirus scan at the end of every download by providing the link of the antivirus executable.
What’s good?
- Available for multiple platforms like Android, Mac and web browsers
- Support for queue scheduling
- Integrated anti-virus check and media converter
- Support for protocols like HTTP, HTTPS, FTP and video streaming protocols like MPEG-DASH, Apple HLS, and Adobe HDS
- Supports proxy server and credential-based server
- One-click video download on web browsers with support for 15+ file formats.
- Restrict network bandwidth and simultaneous downloads
What’s not?
- Doesn’t support multiple languages
Download time: 46:08
Download Xtreme Download Manager
5. Persepolis
Persepolis is another open-source download manager. Similar to XDM, it also has a desktop application and a browser extension. However, it doesn’t give you the bottom download button on every webpage. Hence, you would have to resort to either copy-pasting download URLs or wait for Persepolis to interrupt downloads. You can also enter URLs from the video streaming sites and it will auto-detect the video to download.
What’s good?
- Quite intuitive with minimal UI
- Options to limit the number of downloads and bandwidth to use
- Multiple language support
- Option to keep system wake while downloading
- Create a download queue and download scheduler
- Supports proxy and credential-based servers
What’s not?
- No support for FTP
- No option to recover broken downloads
Download Time: 42:53
Download Persepolis
6. kGet
kGet is another awesome software from the KDE project. It is available on the apt repository so the downloading part is not much of a hassle. KDE supports all the popular protocols like HTTP, FTP, DTP, UDP, etc. It also allows the creation of meta links to download bundles in various ways which I didn’t find in any of the download managers in this list.
Unlike Persepolis and XDM, it doesn’t have a browser extension for other browsers except for Konqueror. For other browsers, it just monitors the clipboard to auto-detect download URLs via escape sequences.
What’s good?
- Supports numerous protocols like HTTP, FTP, DTP, UDP, etc
- Options to limit the number of downloads and bandwidth to use
- Option to turn off system after download
- Create a download queue and download scheduler
- Supports proxy and credential-based servers
What’s not?
- Lacks browser extension for other browsers
Download Time: 50:32
Download kGet
7. aria2
aria2 is not a full-fledged download manager and might not suit the needs of power users. However, when used in conjunction with youtube-dl and FFmpeg, you can use this command-line utility to download most of the videos over the Internet. aria2 even supports multiple file downloads which are lacking in most of the command-line downloaders. It also supports MetaLink on top of HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and SFTP.
If you are good with JSON, you can integrate RPC with aria2 to execute remote downloads. You can read more in this documentation about the JSON-RPC interface for aria2.
Download Time: 49:36
Download aria2
Speed Comparison
In the download test, uGet and Persepolis turned out to be the fastest. Both were closely around the 43 min mark. Whereas, on the other hand, DownThemAll was the slowest with a download time of over 1 hour. Now, to give you a perspective I downloaded the same file on my Vivaldi browser which recorded a time of 55:35 mins. So, I didn’t get a huge speed bump with all these download managers. Having said that, the download managers do work two times faster when running on a media streaming website.
Closing Words
I am personally using Uget as most of my download needs revolve around files and I seldom download videos online. Persepolis would be the ideal alternative for most of the users on Ubuntu. In case you are used to the IDM interface, you should try out Xtreme Download Manager. For more issues or queries, do let me know in the comments below.
Also Read: Top 5 All-in-One Messenger Apps for Linux
Linux is used by a large population of people all over the world due to its great features and outcomes. However, it lacks Download Managers that can aid in downloading any form of file online.
This is the opposite when it comes to Windows where you will find Download Managers which makes your work easier when it comes to downloading a given file.
Features like Free Download Manager and Internet Download Manager are one of the main aspects that people eagerly want to use at any time when using their computers. However, Linux distros lack all these.
You might be wondering how can I download a file or video on Linux OS. This is pretty simple as there are a number of Download Managers that you can have in your device to help you in downloading files on Linux. Hence, let’s take a look at 15 Best Download Manager for Linux.
1. PyLOAD MANAGER
Pyload is a very efficient file download Manager for Linux. It is written and programmed in Python language. This downloader manager is easily manageable mostly on website pages. Pyload file download manager aids in supporting a number of protocols such as HTTPS and HTTP.
PROS
- Easy and simple to use.
- Has the ability to download multiple files at the same time.
- It is very efficient and dependable when downloading files.
CONS
Xdm App Download
- One may fail to understand the Python language if not translated.
2. kGET DOWNLOAD MANAGER
kGet Download Manager comes with a package of unique features which makes it user-friendly and quite efficient in downloading files on Linux. Linux has the ability to support protocols such as HTTPS, HTTP, and FTP. while using kGet Download Manager you are able to pause and retrieve downloading files.
This shows that kGet is highly efficient and can be preferred at any time you are using Linux. Let’s take a look at some distinct features of KGet Download Manager.
- Ability to download Metalink files with multiple URLs
- Ability to support various protocols such as HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP.
- Ability to resume and pause downloaded files.
PROS
- It is easy to use and efficient.
- It is able to download many files at once given the download speed of each downloading file.
CONS
- Due to the ability to download many files at once may cause a computer crash.
3. MULTIGET DOWNLOAD MANAGER
This Download Manager is free and user-friendly when using Linux. It has a GUI which makes it easy to use when downloading files on Linux. With its great features, it comes written in C++ programming language which makes it efficient and easy to use.
Features
- Ability to pause and resume to downloading files.
- Able to carry out clipboard monitoring.
- Able to support HTTP proxy, FTP proxy, SOCKS 4 among others.
- Multiget supports protocols such as HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP.
PROS
- It has a GUI which makes it easier to download files on Linux.
- Can download many files at once.
- One can be able to pause and resume to download files.
CONS
- It may be hard to understand the C++ programming language.
4. PERSEPOLIS DOWNLOAD MANAGER
This Download Manager is absolutely free and you should consider using it today in downloading files on Linux. It has a GUI for Aria 2. Aria 2 is a command-line download manager that has been preferred by many on Linux. This download manager is written Python language and mainly developed for BSDs, Mac, Microsoft Windows, and Linux Distributors.
Features
- Has the ability to develop queuing
- Offers scheduling downloads
- Ability to search and download videos and files on Youtube, DailyMotion, Vimeo, etc. when using Linux.
PROS
- It is a very efficient file downloading manager.
- It is fast and easy to use.
- Can download many files at once.
CONS
- It may lead to over queuing due to its ability to download queue.
5. uGET DOWNLOAD MANAGER
uGet is a lightweight yet powerful Open Source download manager for GNU/Linux developed with GTK+, which also comes packaged as a portable Windows app.
Features
- Multi-Connection Downloads
- Download Youtube
- Videos
- Browser Integration
- Clipboard Monitor
- Batch Downloads
- Advanced Download Categories
This Download Manager is not a program like the other download managers. Instead, it is a Firefox Plugin. By Firefox Plugin it means it can be installed in a variety of devices such as Linux, BSD, OSX, Max, and Windows among others. It has a variety of features as follows;
- Ability to download all images as well as links on a website.
- Ability to download multiple files at the same time.
- Ability to auto-grab downloaded links from Firefox browser.
- Capable of customizer a number of settings for the integration between Firefox and DownThemAll
PROS
- Easy and quick to use and download files.
- Can download a lot of files at the same time.
- AIds in the integration between Firefox and DownThemAll
CONS
1 .it might be hard to use since it is not a normal program like the other download managers.
This Download Manager is easy and quite efficient and dependable when it comes to downloading files. It has the ability to download files at the same time given the download speed of each downloading files. SteadyFlow is able to stop and resume the downloading activity that was ongoing. Another feature this download manager has is a nice and clear GUI. Let’s take a look at some of the great features this download manager has in general.
- Has a great GUI developed by GTK and Library.
- Has the ability to support Google Chrome through an extension commonly called ChromeFlow.
- It is able to take in and run given commands after downloading is completed
- Its latest version is 0.2.0 which is very efficient.
PROS
- It easy and simple to use.
- You can download a lot of files at once.
- Has a great GUI which makes it efficient.
CONS
- Might be hard to use it on Google Chrome if one has no extensive knowledge of how to use Google.
It has 2 versions. Between the 2 one is free while the other is paid for. These 2 versions work best on Linux and Windows. Here are some of the great features that will make you want to use is today.
- Has a great GUI which is available in 18 different languages.
- Ability to auto-grab videos on YouTube.
- Can support various protocols such as HTTP, HTTP, and FTP.
- Ability to auto-grab which are the URLs from the clipboard.
PROS
- It is very efficient in downloading files.
- Can support a number of protocols in your device such as FTP etc.
- Has 2 versions which give one an option to consider.
CONS
- Has a paid version which is a limit many people.
XDM Downloader Manager is among the best and most used Download Manager by Linux users. It has the ability to download files at a speed of 500% that is according to its developer and it was written in Java. Let’s look at the feature XDM Download Manager has.
- Ability to pause and resume the downloaded files.
- It can be used on a number of websites when dealing with multimedia files such as Youtube, Vimeo, MetaCafe, etc.
- Has the ability to support a variety of protocols such as FTP, HTTP, and HTTPS.
- XDM has a great GUI that works similarly to Internet Download Manager.
- The latest version is 3.03. Which is very efficient in downloading files.
PROS
- It is easy to use when downloading files.
- If you need a lot of files at once, it can download those files at the same time.
- It can also be used on websites that use multimedia files such as Youtube, Vimeo among others.
CONS
- There might be some confusion in the many files that are downloaded at the same time.
This download manager is very incredible and works well on Google Chrome. The downloading activity is done in a browser tab, therefore, you don’t require a separate App to work with when downloading the files.
The download management of this download manager is on the top of the game thus you should resort to using it today when downloading your files. Chrome and Chrono are integrated together using menus, key shortcuts, and toolbar buttons. The Chrono download manager is able to download a load of files on Chrome, Linux, Mac and Microsoft Windows.
PROS
- It is able to download a bulk of files at the same time.
- It is an easy and efficient download manager for Linux users.
- It works best on Chrome even without a separate application.
CONS
- It might disadvantage Linux users since they have to download a separate application to make it a success in downloading files.
11. TURBO DOWNLOAD MANAGER
Turbo Download Manager has unique features that make it recommendable for Linux users all over the world. This makes it a multi-threading download manager for Opera and Chrome since they both have a browser extension. When it comes to Mac OS, Linux, Windows, and Android exist as separate applications. You can be able to improve the downloading speed. With Turbo you can keep track of your files in an unstable internet connection whichever place you might be.
Features
1.Has the ability to multi-thread
Speed Download Mac
- It allows one to pause and resume on downloading files.
- Can be used even in situations where the internet connection is low.
- It can download a tonne of files at the same time.
PROS
- It is unique and efficient in downloading files.
- One can easily download a number of files at the same time.
- You can pause and resume on the downloaded files.
CONS
- It might fail to work in cases when there is no internet.
12. WEBUI-ARIA 2
This download manager is the simplest of all to use on Linux. It aims at creating a good and admirable world interface as well as integrate with Aria2. All you got to do is download it, open index, HTML in a given browser.
PROS
- Easy and simple to use when downloading files.
- Can download many files at a time
CONS
Xdm Download Manager For Windows 10
- Maybe able to fail to work on some major browsers.
13. Wget
This is a free download manager that aids in retrieving files on various browsers. It does not allow interaction since it is a non-interactive command tool thus it can be retrieved from c jobs, scripts, etc. It is able to support HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP protocols.
PROS
- Wget is simple and efficient to download files on Linux.
- Is able to support protocols such as FTP, HTTP, and HTTPS.
- Aids in retrieving files on a number of browsers.
CONS
- It is a non-interactive command tool
14.Teleport Pro Download Manager
This Download Manager is an all-purpose and efficient tool that aids retrieving data online on any given web page. It has over 10 retrieval threads which make it very unique and effective to use on Linux. This Download Manager is able to read HTML 5, DHTML, CSS3 among others.
PROS
- Has great features that make it effective in downloading files.
- Easy and fast to use when downloading files on Linux.
- Can be used to read HTML, DHTML, CSS3 etc.
CONS
- It might fail to effectively carry out project scheduling
15. HTTrack Download Manager
This download manager is free software that can help in retrieving and downloading files on a variety of browsers. This browser can be easily used offline. With HTTrack download manager you can download a World Wide Website to a local internet source. This download manager can be best used on Mac OS, Android, Microsoft, Linux among others.
PROS
Xdm Download For Windows
- It can be best used in downloading a lot of files at ones.
- It can best be used on a World Wide Web.
- It is easy and best to use when downloading files.
- Interrupted files can be resumed and downloaded.
- Can update a website that is already existing.
CONS
- The integrated help system of HTTrack might fail to work making it hard to download files.
CONCLUSION
Xdm Download Manager 2018
Linux might not have download managers and users may find it hard to use it, but the good news is that you can get download managers that you can use. Hence, these are among the best download managers that you can resort to using as a Linux user. You can feel free to share this article with your friends and also check our page for more related articles.