A download manager is a program designed to download files from the Internet in a far more efficient way than a web browser. Some of the features of download managers are:
- They are better at downloading files on poor connections than web browsers.
- They can download several files from one site.
- They can pause the download of large files.
- They can resume broken or paused downloads (useful for large files).
- They can perform automatic recursive downloads (mirroring).
- They can perform scheduled downloads (especially useful for dial-up users whose tariffs may be lower at certain times of the day or night).
- They can use mirror sites to download the same file more quickly.
Most download managers integrate seamlessly with popular web browsers and are extremely easy to use. Clicking on a link in a browser automatically starts the download in the download manager.
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| There are some download managers that contain spyware
and adware, which download adverts or track your browsing habits. |
Download Manager Programs
The following list rounds up some of the most popular download managers available:
Download Accelerator Plus
Download Accelerator Plus (or DAP) is a popular download manager with millions of users worldwide. It is completely free and can be upgraded online free of cost. DAP also provides auto antivirus scanning of downloaded contents by integrating with the antivirus software (such as Norton, Mcafee or AVG) present in the OS.
However, DAP also installs a toolbar and browser helper object into the browser that tracks visited sites, downloads and search queries and will download ads to be displayed in your program window, your Internet Explorer toolbar, and through pop-up type advertising.
Download Express
Download Express is freeware for personal use and splits every download into 10 connections, which makes downloads faster. It is free from spyware.
FlashGet
FlashGet can be installed in two modes - one ad-sponsored and the other ad-free shareware mode that needs registering. The free version is bundled with the adware called Cydoor, which downloads advertisements to your hard drive.
GNU Wget
GNU Wget is a free software program that implements simple and powerful content retrieval from web servers. It currently supports downloading via HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP protocols - the most popular protocols used for web browsing.
However, Wget is a command line utility, which requires the user to have some command line knowledge to use it, although there are some GUIs (graphical user interfaces) available to use with it.
Whilst all the other download managers in this list can only be used in Windows, Wget is available for Linux, MacOS and some other Operating Systems.
LeechGet
LeechGet is a free (for personal use) download manager, which doesn't install any adware or spyware, and has more features than many other managers. It works with IE as well as Opera, Netscape or Mozilla.
ReGet
This download manager has a 30 day free trial, after which users have to pay a one-off fee of around £17, which includes free life-time upgrades. It has a simple interface, with a number of different modes to cater for beginners to pros. It integrates well with a wide range of web browsers and can download a maximum of 16 streams at the same time.
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