The best download managers make downloading faster and easier, as well as offer useful management options like speed control, downloads scheduling, and more. Let's take a closer look at top 17 download managers for Mac.
If you often download torrents, movies, etc, from the Internet, the download manager for Mac will make your life much easier and save you time and space on your hard drive. There are many download managers available, and the purpose of this article is to give you an idea of what application might work best for your needs.
Folx is at the top of our list for best download managers for Mac because we believe it is the easiest to use the application, with the most features.
It’s extremely user-friendly and is fully compatible with Apple’s latest operating system - Big Sur.
Folx has two versions: the free version and a PRO version.
The free version is loaded with tons of features and is perfect for those who don’t download content from the Internet on a regular basis. Upgrading to Folx PRO, however, will offer you a ton of awesome features.
Pros:
Cons:
Folx is also fully compatible with Mac’s latest operating system - Big Sur. And for this reason, and the many reasons listed above, we think it’s the best downloader for Mac available.
Supported OS: macOS
Conclusion: In our opinion, this has to be the best download manager Mac users can find. Folx offers a huge range of features that can be easily used by users with even a limited understanding of how a download manager works.
Thanks to its full torrent compatibility, it’s a really useful tool for anyone who uses this download method. It’s also got good speeds and plenty of options that let you customize the way that you download files.
While you do have to invest some money for the PRO versions, it’s a low price and one that’s affordable by just about anyone. Whatever you’re looking for, this is a great option with tons of features and top speeds.
|
Folx PRO
|
Folx PRO
|
iNetGet
|
iGetter
|
FlareGet
|
Ninja Download Manager
|
Download Shuttle
|
Maxel
|
Leech
|
Progressive Downloader
|
Xtreme Download Manager
|
JDownloader
|
Persepolis Download Manager
|
Neat Download Manager
|
Free Download Manager
|
|
Multithreading
|
Multithreading
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Downloads scheduling
|
Downloads scheduling
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Apple Music integration
|
Apple Music integration
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Speed control
|
Speed control
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bandwidth optimization
|
Bandwidth optimization
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proxy support
|
Proxy support
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Browser integration
|
Browser integration
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Password storage
|
Password storage
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Torrent client
|
Torrent client
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Autoresume of downloads
|
Autoresume of downloads
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
macOS 10.15+
|
macOS 10.15+
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$19.95
|
$19.95
|
$29.99
|
$25
|
$19.99
|
$19
|
$9.99
|
$9.99
|
$6
|
$2.99
|
free
|
free
|
free
|
free
|
free
|
Another best download manager for Mac to consider is Ninja Download Manager from Knockout Soft. Ninja DM is a download manager that was first designed for the PC user, then reformatted for Mac users, so its interface can be a little "PC-like". It is, however, reliable, and has some pretty cool features, and is currently available on macOS Big Sur.
Pros:
Cons:
Supported OS: Windows, macOS
Conclusion: This has quite a lot to offer, though we can’t say it would be our first choice. On the plus side, it offers plenty of options to let you manage your downloads. You can pause and resume whenever you want, which makes it easy if you need to temporarily preserve your bandwidth.
However, Ninja doesn’t offer any kind of free version - you need to pay if you want any kind of access to it. The other issue is usability. It’s not been designed with too much thought of the user, and the dark interface is less than ideal.
JDownloader is an open-source Internet downloader that was originally written in Java - a software language that is quickly becoming outdated - but it still has some pretty cool features, which is why we’ve included it in our list of the best download managers for Mac. It’s also available to use on Mac’s newest OS - Big Sur.
Pros:
Cons:
Supported OS: Windows, Linux, macOS
Conclusion: As an open-source program, this is definitely designed to appeal to certain kinds of users. If you’re someone with a degree of familiarity in coding, you can make adjustments to the source code to alter the program.
However, this is obviously only appealing to a small amount of Internet users, and most people won’t be able to do anything with it. Also, the fact that JDownloader uses Java means that it runs slightly slower than you’d like. Worth a look if you know what you’re doing, but not the best choice out there.
Leech is another contender among the best download managers for Mac. The main focus of Leech is to smoothly integrate with your Internet browser. Its interface is simple - drag and drop a URL into the app and you’re good to go.
You also have the option to set a username and password for corresponding servers. E.g. if you have a premium account on uploaded.net for high downloading speed, you can set up automatic login to your account whenever Leech catches the link from uploaded.net. No need to have any extensions for web browsers in order to use automatic download link catching.
Pros:
Cons:
Supported OS: macOS
Conclusion: If you’re looking for a pared down Mac OS X download manager, this could be a good choice for you. First off, it takes up very little space on your hard drive. It’s also been designed with simplicity in mind, meaning that you will probably not struggle to make use of it.
However, obviously, this simplicity isn’t ideal for everyone. Leech is not a great choice if you want to be able to customize how you download and organize your files. While it’s a good, easy option, there are better choices that give you a lot more control.
Another top download manager for Mac to check out is called Free Download Manager. FDM does everything the best download manager Mac should do: resumes broken downloads, increases download speed, adjusts available bandwidth, schedules activity, and even supports BitTorrent protocol. All these features for zero price make FDM a solid choice. It’s also seems to be supported on Mac’s latest OS - Big Sur.
Pros:
Cons:
Supported OS: macOS, Windows, Linux
Conclusion: As the name suggests, one of the great benefits of this program is the fact that it’s completely free. The other thing that marks it out from the other programs we looked at is the fact that it pairs torrenting with conventional downloading, which is a welcome change.
Beyond that, it has many of the organization and pause/resume features that we’ve seen in other programs. Obviously, the main issue is the fact that, as a very new program, it’s particularly vulnerable to malware. That’s definitely something you’ll want to bear in mind if you’re concerned about your computer’s security.
iGetter is a very popular choice among Mac users when it comes to download managers. It’s known as one of the best download managers for Mac because it is completely free and has been around for a long time.
iGetter provides Mac users with high-speed downloading by using segment downloaded for boosting up the speed. With the possibility to resume broken downloads, unstable network connection is not a problem anymore.
Pros:
Cons:
Supported OS: macOS
Conclusion: This would be a great choice, if it weren’t for a few compatibility issues. As a download manager, it’s got everything we want to see - pause and resume, automatically reconnecting when a connection is dropped, etc.
However, it’s not compatible with the latest macOS Big Sur, which means that users with new devices are not going to be able to use it. It’s also got some compatibility issues with the latest versions of Chrome. For these reasons, it’s not our first choice. Hopefully, they iron out these problems in the near future.
Maxel is a download manager for Mac that prides itself on being user-friendly and streamlining downloads using the most reliable file transfer protocols - namely, HTTP, HTTPS, and SFTP. The "s" in these acronyms stands for "secure", meaning that, if you’re worried about viruses or malware, and protecting your privacy, you should always utilize HTTPS or SFTP.
The only reason you might utilize non-secure protocols, such as FTP or HTTP is if your browser doesn’t support SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), which is very uncommon in most modern Internet browsers.
Pros:
Cons:
Supported OS: macOS
Conclusion: Maxel has a lot going for it. It offers pause and resume functions, and lets you break down downloads in order to maximize download speed, which is a useful feature. It’s also a really good choice if you’re particularly security conscious, as it has one of the most reliable systems around.
However, our main issues come down to a slight lack of usability. The excessive menus mean that navigating to what you want is more complicated than it should be. There’s also a certain amount of limitations if you use the free version.
Progressive Downloader is among the best download managers for Mac because it offers a wide variety of features. It can resume interrupted downloads, offers multi-threaded downloading, browser integration, etc. Progressive also has a built-in mirror search option to help find mirrors (copies of the same file you’re downloading but in different locations) for large files.
Pros:
Cons:
Supported OS: macOS
Conclusion: This downloader Mac is pretty good, though it does fall down quite badly where it matters most. There are plenty of useful functions such as pausing downloads, and thankfully the program might work fine with Mac Big Sur. It also has a built-in feature that lets you use mirror sites, which is handy.
However, the big issue is the low download speed. Downloads can only be split into three threads, which isn’t much when you consider that similar products offer a lot more. If it wasn’t for the low speeds, this would be a really great choice.
We consider Xtreme Download Manager to be among the best download managers for Mac because of its pleasing user interface and its lightweight size.
This program also boasts that it can increase your download speed by up to 500%, but we’re not so sure about that. It does, however, offer a ton of features - including download scheduling - so you can set up your Internet downloads to begin at times when you’re away from your computer.
Pros:
Cons:
Supported OS: macOS, Windows, Linux
Conclusion: As a download manager that has been designed to be accessible to anyone, this program largely succeeds. They’ve come up with a clear interface that’s easy to use. There are also plenty of useful features, such as reconnecting when a connection is dropped.
However, there are a few issues regarding compatibility. Xtreme doesn’t work with Big Sur. It also is not supported by Firefox, which is surprising given how popular that browser is. If you’re looking for a straightforward choice, depending on what software you use, this could be a good option.
Download Shuttle is one of our top download managers for Mac, as it is a simple solution for managing multiple downloads and accelerating transfer speeds. This application can split your downloads in multiple segments and download them all at once, handle links with authentication, and includes basic, but effective, link management options.
In the main window of the app you can see the list of your downloads, and the top toolbar has the buttons for basic functions, including the option to add or remove links. Download Shuttle also offers an inspector window with the detailed info about the status of each segment and supports QuickLook (access data about the downloaded file). It’s also seems to be compatible with macOS Big Sur.
Pros:
Cons:
Supported OS: macOS
Conclusion: This is probably one of the best choices in our list. The major plus point about Download Shuttle is the fact that it offers very high speeds for downloading. This is mainly thanks to the fact that it divides files into multiple threads, making for much quicker downloads.
It’s also really easy to use, with a well-thought-out interface that is easy to navigate. It only falls down in a couple of places. First off, there’s no options to download from YouTube, which is an innovative feature included in products like Folx. The other problem is it doesn’t let you access your download queue, which is a pretty glaring fault.
iNetGet is another macOS download manager that is worth a mention here. This application was originally developed as a tool for Mac users with some programming experience, but it’s come a long way since its release.
Like most download managers, it supports HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP protocols, and has the capability to resume interrupted downloads. It can also split downloads into multiple threads to increase download speed.
Pros:
Cons:
Supported OS: macOS, Windows
Conclusion: This is a good all-rounder, with a lot to offer no matter what you’re looking to do. The standard features are all included. You can pause and resume, auto-connect when the connection drops and split downloads into separate threads to make downloading quicker. The main issue is the interface. While they’ve put plenty of thought into functionality, they could have made the program a bit easier to use.
We consider Neat Download Manager to be among the top download managers for Mac because it is a lightweight, simple-to-use application.
Neat is a newcomer to the download manager scene and it is quickly making a name for itself, but its developers are still working through some kinks. We’re looking forward to seeing Neat’s developers improve upon its features, though, as it is a promising app, and it might be available on Mac’s newest OS - Big Sur.
Pros:
Cons:
Supported OS: macOS, Windows
Conclusion: While it hasn’t yet quite fulfilled its potential, neat still promises great things in the future. One of the most striking things about it is the fact that it only takes up a single megabyte on your hard drive - pretty remarkable. It’s got plenty of compatibility with browsers and boasts impressive download speeds, which is obviously an important factor.
As we’ve said, the main issue is that, as a very new program, there’s not a huge amount of features on offer. Also, as with all new programs, it’s more vulnerable to viruses and malware. However, with any luck, we’ll see improvements in the future.
Persepolis Download Manager is a bit different from the top download managers for Mac we’ve listed above. While it can be used on its own, as a stand-alone download manager, it was also designed as a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for a program called Aria2.
Aria2 is a download manager that is designed to be used on your Mac’s Terminal application - Terminal is a command-line program that most Mac users unless you’re a software engineer, will probably never see or use. So, Persepolis offers a more user-friendly interface through which to download files via Aria2, as well as being a stand-alone download manager.
Pros:
Cons:
Supported OS: macOS, Windows, Linux
Conclusion: This is a bit of a leftfield choice for our list, but we thought we’d include it anyway. Obviously, Persepolis is not a conventional download manager. It’s more of a tool to use Aria2 to download programs. However, unless you’re deeply involved with software design, you’re probably going to struggle to use it.
On the other hand, if you know your stuff, this open-source program could be exactly what you’re looking for. However, as we’ve pointed out, downloading from GitHub could expose your computer to viruses and malware. Tread carefully.
FlareGet is primarily known as a download manager for Linux. Linux is by far the most popular open-source operating system but it’s not a commonly used download manager macOS. Again, "open-source" means that the actual code that runs FlareGet is available for anyone to use and customize. But, FlareGet seems to operate on macOS Big Sur just fine, too. It’s interface is simple, if a bit dated.
Pros:
Cons:
Supported OS: macOS, Windows, Linux
Conclusion: As with Persepolis, this is more of an option for people who understand the ins and outs of software. If you really know your stuff, you can use this open-source program to download files, and the download speeds really are impressive - something to take into consideration.
However, for the vast majority of internet users out there, this is probably not the ideal solution. While it has its merits, you need a lot of background understanding to really make it work for you.
iDownloader continues our list of Mac download tools. The tool provides multipart download, allows scheduling, and can detect copied URLs from browsers. Besides downloading, it can also speed up download tasks. iDownloader integrates with web browsers via its extensions, supports download scheduling, and can resume the download from where it left if the connection is lost.
Pros:
Cons:
Supported OS: macOS
Conclusion: In general, iDownloader is quite a good tool for downloading media content from various websites. It comes with a neat interface, so you are unlikely to have any difficulty using it. However, it lacks a few features: for example, it doesn’t download torrents. This product is free, but there are in-app purchases.
Download Buddy is another web download manager for Mac. To use this downloader is extremely easy: you just need to select the file you want to download, right-click on it and choose "Add to Download Buddy". A few simple steps and files are added to the download queue.
Download Buddy provides download management options like an automatic resume, multiple downloads and supports HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP sources. Additionally, the app comes with an add-on called Net Radar that monitors the status of VPN connection. There is a 7-day free trial.
Pros:
Cons:
Supported OS: macOS
Conclusion: Download Buddy is a fairly easy-to-use Internet download manager. It supports the functions you need for downloading videos from websites and gives you complete control over your downloads. It is integrated with Net Radar technology, but that is available as an in-app purchase.
Fat Pipe Downloader, the accelerator and download manager for Mac, finished our list. This application splits the download task into many smaller chunks, thereby bypassing the speed limits set by the Internet providers. Fat Pipe Downloader has Chrome, Firefox, and Safari extensions, so you can integrate it into your browser and download videos right from your browser's right-click menu.
Pros:
Cons:
Supported OS: macOS
Conclusion: If you are looking for a basic download manager, you can try Fat Pipe Downloader. What’s more, it is stated that the app can bypass the speed limits set by Internet service providers and servers by splitting download tasks. So, you can use it as a download accelerator.
The first thing you need to consider when choosing a downloader for Mac is what kind of program you want to use. For instance, you can use a program like Folx, that’s actually downloadable software. The other option is to use torrent clients like Vuze, that are specifically aimed at torrenting. The third option is to check out cloud-based clients. For all of these things, there are lots of different factors to take into account.
Obviously, the basics such as download speed are important, as are the ways in which you can organize your downloads. Some of these things can be simplified with browser integration and Apple Music integration. Since you’re looking for a Mac downloader, it’s also essential that the option you pick has maximum compatibility with Big Sur - the latest macOS.
Finally, one of the most obvious questions is price. While some options are 100%, you’ll often find that you need to invest to get the maximum out of a program. In this case, you may want to prioritize a solution with a one-off payment over options that expect you to pay a monthly or annual subscription fee.
There are tons of download managers on the market these days, and sorting through them, reading the features they offer, their user reviews, and avoiding download managers that may come with malware attached, can be extremely time-consuming.
This article’s goal was to do that job for you. Different downloader managers suit different Mac users' needs, and the best download manager for Mac for one person might not be the best for the next person. We just hope we’ve provided you with a good place to start your search!
