While your browser’s download manager is good enough in most cases but sometimes you need a little more control. For instance – speed up downloads by breaking files into multiple blocks, pause and resume download whenever you want or bandwidth throttling.
IDM is hands down the best download managers on Windows, but if you are looking for IDM alternative for Mac; well, we got you covered. After trying out more than a few programs, analyzing other reviews and following recommendations, we’ve come down to some of the best download managers for Mac. As always, we have tried to keep the diversity.
Table of Contents
Best Download Managers for Mac
1 iGetter
iGetter is one of the most popular download managers for Mac. It’s completely free and integrates in an easy manner with your device. The User Interface of iGetter isn’t the most modern, but it can do the job very well. When compared to the other free download managers for Mac, iGetter offers more features and better compatibility, which is great.
One of the best features about iGetter is the level of customization. From download speed to segment size and from the number of multiple downloads to connection timeout, you can customize almost everything using iGetter preferences. Site Explorer and Download Scheduler are some of the best picks in the feature list.
Pros: Fully-functioning free version, easy integration, Site Explorer and additional features
Cons: Not a very intuitive UI
Supported Browser: Chrome and Safari.
Verdict: For a free download manager for Mac, iGetter is pretty great. You have all the necessary features, in addition to accelerated downloading and scheduling. Thanks to browser and macOS integration, you will find it easy to get used to it. Although not the newest, the UI is also great to start with. iGetter also packs a few out-of-the-box features like File-Avenue support and Site Manager.
Check out iGetter (Free)
2 Download Shuttle
If minimal UI is your thing, Download Shuttle is a must-check-out free download manager for Mac. It packs a lot of features despite the simple UI, though. This minimal-footprint software supports multi-segmented download support, up to 6 segments at a time. The best part is that you can decide the maximum number of segments when you add a download.
According to our experience, segmentation and download acceleration by Download Shuttle are effective in every sense. Not only that, you get options for download scheduling and auto-resume. Last but not the least, the UI is just awesome and you wouldn’t need days to get used to it.
Pros: Free and intuitive UI, Up to 6 Concurrent Connections
Cons: Advanced features like YouTube Download and Bulk Download are missing
Supported Browser: Chrome and Safari.
Verdict: Download Shuttle is not the most feature-rich download manager for Mac. Nevertheless, it manages to pack a lot of features inside a simple, intuitive User Interface. With support for more than 6 segments at a time, the download speeds are also drastically improved. When we count in the support for web browser integration, Download Shuttle becomes the perfect choice for minimalists.
Check Out Download Shuttle (Free)
3 Maxel Downloader for Mac
Maxel is yet another minimal-looking download manager that packs a lot of features. Most importantly, the software can enhance the total download speeds with up to 100 segments. You can really unleash the overall power of your internet connection. Despite the performance, Maxel consumes lower amount of resources as well.
There are some never-seen-before features as well. Apart from browser integration, Maxel brings a built-in browser. You can use this browser to download authenticated files. What I loved most about Maxel for Mac is that it behaves like a native app. Just as you open the package, it would start working. For those who are doubtful, there is a Maxel demo version you can download for free.
Pros: Intuitive UI, lower resource consumption and up to 100 segments
Cons: Navigation isn’t that great.
Supported Browser: Safari, Chrome and Firefox
Verdict: We believe that Maxel Downloader for Mac is a combination of minimalistic UI and best-in-the-class performance. Not only can you enjoy maximum speed — thanks to up to 100-segments support —, but also the native design reduces system resource consumption. Altogether, this is a download manager that we’d recommend buying.
Check Out Maxel ($9.99, Free demo available)
4 Progressive Downloader
Progressive Downloader is a really feature-rich download management client for Mac. Regardless what type of file you are downloading; Progressive Downloader has got your back. Right after you install and start the program, you can know how advanced it is. When you have multiple downloads to manage, the big-enough UI is going to be quite helpful.
Coming to the features, Progressive Downloader doesn’t disappoint. Standard features like integration with browsers and automated server search are included in the package. It also has an excellent clipboard-based download triggering. Last but not least, you can use the program for managing content over FTP as well. The feature list is so big and convincing, especially for professionals.
Pros: A fully-fledged yet simple interface, easy integration, automatic server search
Cons: Not much of speed acceleration
Supported Browser: Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Opera
Verdict: Progressive Downloader is an amazing choice if you prefer free download managers. It is quite an advanced piece of software that can help you tackle tens or hundreds of downloads. Although it doesn’t get you any promises regarding speed acceleration, the overall speeds offered by Progressive Downloader are surely impressive
Check Out Progressive Downloader (Free)
5 Leech
Leech may look like a no-brainer, but it has a lot of features under the hood. Despite being premium, it has been one of the most popular downloaders for Mac. The reason is simple: it can manage lots of downloads without compromising speed or performance. Although the maximum number of concurrent connections is 5, the overall speed boost of Leech is impressive enough.
Coming to the features, Leech meets the standard expectations. You can simply drag and drop any link for starting downloads, schedule downloads and manage multiple URLs at once. Bandwidth control and Safari integration make Leech easier to use. Last but not least, Leech offers enough room for customization, under the Preferences section.
Pros: Ultimately simple UI, bulk downloads, better speeds
Cons: Almost nothing
Supported Browser: Safari
Verdict: As the official website says, Leech is indeed a lightweight yet powerful download manager for Mac. You can start using the program as you wish and the performance is top-notch. All the features work quite seamlessly, from speed control to multiple connection management. Altogether, if you are looking for a Mac download manager without bells and whistles, Leech is a go-to choice.
Check Out Leech ($6, Free Trial available)
6 Free Download Manager
In case you did not know, Free Download Manager is a popular download manager for Windows PCs as well. Fortunately, the Mac version also is up to the expectations. Apart from all the standard features we’ve seen above, Free Download Manager offers torrent download support. So, you don’t have to find another piece of software to download torrent content — just drag and drop ’em.
One might say that Free Download Manager doesn’t have a Mac-friendly UI, but you can get used to it in no time. Inside this seemingly-simple software, the developers have included many features like speed control, browser integration and network customizations. You can also set up some notifications and triggers, which make the downloading process simple.
Pros: Free and supports torrents, A convenient interface, download categorization
Cons: Lacks a native UI
Supported Browser: Chrome, Firefox and Safari
Verdict: Unlike the other download managers we’ve covered above, Free Download Manager is completely free and effective. It has a different interface, but the number of features should compensate that. You will love Free Download Manager if you want a simple client that can manage HTTP and torrent downloads with same smoothness.
Check Out Free Download Manager (Free)
7 Folx
Folx is not only one of the best download managers for Mac but also my personal recommendation. Although free to use, there is a feature-rich premium version you may want to check out. You can use Folx for normal downloads as well as torrent downloads. It also is one of the minimalist uTorrent alternatives out there. But something that really matters is how smoothly Folx integrates with your Mac.
Once installed, Folx becomes an active part of your Mac. In addition, the free version enhances the download speed by splitting into 2 threads. Standard features like auto-resume, multiple downloads, a torrent client with magnet link support, are also available.
Pros: Support torrents, download YouTube videos, and automatically catch the all the downloads link in a page
Cons: Not a well-organized download list, Advanced features are Pro-only
Supported Browser: You can use browser extensions for Firefox, Chrome and Safari.
Verdict: If you are looking for a free download manager for Mac, Folx is a good option. It has one of the best interfaces and macOS integration we’ve seen. That having said, even if you want the additional features like 20-thread downloads, video downloads, iTunes integration, torrent-search and download scheduling, paid version of Folx seems reasonable too.
Check Out Folx (Free, Pro version available for $19.95)
Wrapping Up: Best Download Managers for Mac
Out of 20+ download managers we’ve tested, these 7 are the ones we loved! As said, you have multiple sets of choices here. If you need a jack-in-all-trades download manager with torrent support, you can go for Folx or Free Download Manager. On the other hand, if you prefer simple programs, Leech and Download Shuttle seem to be good options. Also, if you want some advanced features inside a simple UI, Maxel would be our great recommendation.
Before you make the selection, go through all the capabilities. For instance, if you’re planning to manage a lot of downloads with maximum connections, you need something powerful. We hope this guide helps you choose one of the best download manager apps for Mac.
Read: Best Download Manager for Android
