Best download manager for Mac: 14 best solutions of 2021

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.

Folx Pros:

• • Folx allows you to assign each of your downloads with “tags” that identify the type of content you’re downloading and then save that content into a specific folder on your harddrive.
• • Folx is one of only two download managers for Mac that offers full torrent client compatibility. You can assign Folx as your primary torrent downloader, and it will open every time you download a new torrent. Folx also allows you to use magnet links to download torrents.
• • Folx PRO allows you to set automatic speed control on your downloads, based on the priority of the downloads.
• • Folx PRO lets you schedule downloads at specific times. If you work from your computer during the day, you probably don’t want Internet downloads slowing down your processor and using up your Internet bandwidth. Folx PRO allows you to schedule downloads to begin when you’re away from your computer.
• • Folx PRO has the capability to split your downloads into multiple threads, which can significantly improve the speed at which they download.
• • Folx PRO is fully compatible with Apple Music (formerly iTunes).
• • Folx PRO can save your login credentials for multiple torrent trackers and websites you use on a regular basis.
• • Folx PRO also has an awesome built-in torrent search option. No more scouring the internet for reliable torrent websites that don’t inundate your computer with ads. Just do a search in the Folx app and it will find the highest quality, most seeded downloads for you!

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 download manager for Mac available.

Supported OS: MacOS

Conclusion: In our opinion, this has to be the best download manager out there. 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 customise 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.

How to manage downloads on Mac with Folx:

1. Download and install Folx.
2. Copy link to the file you want to download.
3. Open Folx and choose New task in File menu or simply press ‘+’ button in the main app window.
4. Choose where to save downloaded file and assign one or more tags to your download, so you can easily find it later.
5. Configure additional download settings (for PRO users): select the number of simultaneous download threads, schedule download for later start, set up saved authentication credentials.
6. Press ‘OK’ and wait until the download is finished.

2. Ninja Download Manager

Another top 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 of Ninja DM:

• • Like Folx, Ninja DM allows you to increase download speed by using multiple threads, or connections.
• • Ninja DM also allows you to pause and resume downloads.
• • Much like Folx, Ninja DM also offers a download scheduler, but, again, this option is not free.

Cons of Ninja DM:

• • Ninja Download Manager does not offer a free version. The cheapest version is $19, and that is if you’re just using it on one computer.
• • Many Mac users find Ninja DM’s user interface too dark and difficult to navigate. As we mentioned before, it was not initially designed with the Mac user in mind.

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.

3. JDownloader

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 — Catalina.

Pros of JDownloader:

• • JDownloader is an open-source download manager for Mac that is platform independent. This means it can be modified (via fairly simple coding) to work on any operating system.
• • JDownloader is especially efficient when downloading from one-click hosters like Rapidshare or Megaupload.

Cons of JDownloader:

• • This application was written in Java (a mostly outdated software language), which makes it pretty slow on startup.

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.

4. Leech

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 an 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 of Leech:

• • Lightweight — meaning it won’t take up much space on your harddrive.
• • Very simple to use, appealing user interface.
• • Reported to be available on Mac’s newest OS — Big Sur.

Cons of Leech:

• • Some users complain that Leech does not offer enough options when it comes to setting up “rules” for your downloads.

Supported OS: MacOS

Conclusion: If you’re looking for a pared down 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 customise how you download and organise your files. While it’s a good, easy option, there are better choices that give you a lot more control.

5. Free Download Manager

Another top download manager for Mac to check out is called Free Download Manager. FDM does everything a download manager for 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 of Free Download Manager:

• • It’s completely free!
• • Like most download managers, FDM increases download speed, adjusts available bandwidth.
• • One of only two download managers for Mac that combine torrent with regular downloading.

Cons of Free Download Manager:

• • One thing to note about FDM is that it was originally released as an open-source software, so older versions are susceptible to malware. Be sure to download this program from the original vendor.

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 organisation 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 for your computer’s security.

6. iGetter

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 of iGetter:

• • Completely free!
• • Easily integrates with most Internet browsers.

Cons of iGetter:

• • As of now, iGetter does not support the latest versions of Chrome, nor is it compatible with Mac’s newest OS — Big Sur.
• • Many complain that its user interface is dated and confusing to navigate.

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.

7. Maxel

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 of Maxel:

• • Maxel offers the option to use browser plugins.
• • Maxel has the ability to optimize your download speed by breaking your download into over 100 segments.
• • Currently might be available for macOS Big Sur.

Cons of Maxel:

• • Navigating through the menus on Maxel’s app can be somewhat complicated.
• • Limited features on the free version.

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 maximise 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.

8. Progressive Downloader

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 of Progressive Downloader:

• • Tons of features — this is a great piece of software for those Mac users who download multiple files every day.
• • Seems to be compatible with Mac’s newest operating system — Big Sur.

Cons of Progressive Downloader:

• • The download speed acceleration leaves a lot to be desired, as Progressive is only capable of splitting downloads into three threads.

Supported OS: MacOS

Conclusion: This downloader 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.

9. Xtreme Download Manager

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 of Xtreme Download Manager:

• • Clean and intuitive user interface makes it easy to use, even for beginners.
• • Has the capability to automatically identify the type of file you’re downloading and sort it into an appropriate category — i.e., documents, movies, music, etc.

Cons of Xtreme Download Manager:

• • Xtreme DM does not currently have the capability to automatically resume interrupted downloads.
• • Not currently supported by some popular Internet browsers, including Firefox.
• • Xtreme DM is currently not available on Mac’s latest OS: Big Sur.

Supported OS: Windows, Linux, MacOS

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.

10. Download Shuttle

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 of Download Shuttle:

• • Many users praise Download Shuffle for its ultra-fast download speed, especially when downloading very large files, such as HD movies.
• • Pleasing user interface that offers features for those Mac users who are doing multiple tasks at once.

Cons of Download Shuffle:

• • Does not work with YouTube.
• • Does not allow the users access to their download queue.

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.

11. iNetGet

iNetGet is another download manager for Mac 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 of iNetGet:

• • iNetGet is fast and fully integratable with most Internet browsers.
• • Offers a great user guide for newcomers to the downloading scene.
• • Reported to be compatible with macOS Big Sur.

Cons of iNetGet:

• • Some complain that iNetGet’s interface is not very intuitive and can be challenging for newcomers. Perhaps this is why they offer such a thorough “help” guide.

Supported OS: Windows, MacOS

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.

12. Neat Download Manager

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 of Neat Download Manager:

• • Offers Internet browser extensions so you can easily download audio and video content from a variety of websites.
• • Uses a dynamic segmentation algorithm that increases your download speed significantly.
• • Only takes up 1 MB of space on your harddrive.

Cons of Neat Download Manager:

• • As we mentioned, Neat is a relatively new software, so bugs are not uncommon.
• • Not a lot of features yet. Currently only has basic downloading capabilities, such as acceleration and segmentation.

Supported OS: Windows, MacOS

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.

13. Persepolis Download Manager

Persepolis 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 of Persepolis:

• • Persepolis is an open-source software — meaning that users can download the application and re-write the code to better suit their needs.
• • Persepolis is reported to be compatible with macOS Big Sur.

Cons of Persepolis:

• • Persepolis is only downloadable from a website called GitHub, where users can upload anything they want. This means it’s much more prone to viruses and malware.
• • Unless you’re a software developer who wants to seriously customize your downloading experience, this app is just not worth the risk of downloading from an “untrusted” site.

Supported OS: Windows, MacOS, 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 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.

14. FlareGet

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 for Mac. 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 of FlareGet:

• • FlareGet offers full Metalink support — meaning that you can use FlareGet to replace your chosen Internet browser’s default download manager.
• • FlareGet is fast. It has the capability to split files into 32 threads.

Cons of FlareGet:

• • Most of FlareGet’s most helpful features are only available on the Pro version, which will set you back 20 bucks.
• • Again, unless you’re a software developer or code guru, FlareGet is just overkill for the average Mac user.

Supported OS: Windows, MacOS, 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.

Tips on Choosing the Best Download Manager for Mac:

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 organise 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 prioritise a solution with a one off payment over options that expect you to pay a monthly or annual subscription fee.

Final Thoughts on Top Download Managers for Mac

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!