Top axel Alternatives for Faster, More Flexible Downloads
Axel, known for its ability to accelerate HTTP/FTP downloads by utilizing multiple connections and acting as a lightweight wget clone, has been a go-to for many. However, depending on your specific needs – whether it's broader protocol support, a graphical interface, or advanced features – exploring an axel alternative can significantly enhance your downloading experience. This guide will delve into the best alternatives available, helping you find the perfect fit for your workflow.
Best axel Alternatives
While axel excels in its niche, a diverse ecosystem of download managers offers expanded capabilities, platform versatility, and richer feature sets. Let's explore some of the top contenders that can serve as excellent replacements or complements to axel.
Wget
GNU Wget is a free and open-source command-line utility for retrieving files using HTTP(S) and FTP protocols. Similar to axel in its command-line interface, Wget is a robust option for batch processing and automated downloads across Mac, Windows, Linux, and BSD systems, making it a powerful axel alternative for script-based operations.
aria2
aria2 stands out as a versatile, free, and open-source multi-protocol and multi-source download utility. Supporting HTTP(S), FTP, BitTorrent, and Metalink, it's a lightweight, cross-platform axel alternative available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, and Xfce. Its command-line interface, ability to resume interrupted downloads, and remote control support make it an excellent choice for diverse downloading needs.
cURL
cURL is a free and open-source client-side URL library and command-line tool primarily used for transferring data with various network protocols. While not strictly a download accelerator like axel, its widespread availability on Mac, Windows, Linux, BSD, Cygwin, and Haiku, coupled with its command-line interface for data and file transfer, makes it an essential tool for developers and advanced users looking for an axel alternative for specific data retrieval tasks.
Xtreme Download Manager
Xtreme Download Manager (XDM) is a powerful, free, and open-source axel alternative that dramatically increases download speeds (up to 500%). Available on Mac, Windows, Linux, and BSD, XDM offers extensive browser integration, multipart downloading, the ability to resume interrupted downloads, and video downloading capabilities, making it a comprehensive solution for both accelerating and managing downloads.
Persepolis Download Manager
Persepolis Download Manager is a free and open-source utility built upon aria2, aiming to provide easier and faster downloads. Compatible with Mac, Windows, Linux, and BSD, it offers browser integration, support for multiple threads and multipart downloads, download scheduling, and video downloading features. This makes it a user-friendly and feature-rich axel alternative for those who prefer a graphical interface over command-line tools.
EagleGet
EagleGet is a free, all-in-one download manager specifically for Windows, offering robust integration with popular browsers like Chrome, IE, Firefox, and Opera. It supports various protocols (HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, MMS, RTSP) and features download acceleration, media grabbing, and resume capabilities, presenting a lightweight and powerful axel alternative for Windows users.
Multithreaded Download Manager
This experimental, free, and open-source Firefox 57 download manager is designed with multithreading support to accelerate downloads by utilizing multiple connections. Available for Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, and directly within Firefox, it's an excellent axel alternative for Firefox users seeking integrated, accelerated downloading.
Advanced Download Manager
Advanced Download Manager (ADM) is a feature-rich freemium downloader tailored for Android and Android Tablet devices. It allows simultaneous downloads of up to three files, offers accelerated downloading, clipboard monitoring, and an integrated web browser. With support for multiple threads and resume capabilities, ADM serves as a strong axel alternative for mobile users.
Ant Download Manager
Ant Download Manager is a powerful freemium Windows-based solution that integrates with multiple browsers (IE, Vivaldi, Chrome, Yandex, Opera, Brave, Firefox). It supports premium link generators (Debrid), offers browser integration, video grabbing, and advanced features like bulk download, clipboard monitoring, and scheduling, making it a comprehensive and robust axel alternative for Windows users.
KGet
KGet is a versatile, free, and open-source download manager specifically designed for KDE on Linux. It seamlessly integrates with Konqueror and can also be used with Mozilla Firefox. KGet offers features like browser integration, checksum verification, clipboard monitoring, FTP support, and resume interrupted downloads, positioning it as an excellent axel alternative for Linux desktop users.
The world of download managers is vast and varied. While axel provides a solid, lightweight solution for specific needs, the alternatives discussed here offer enhanced features, broader platform compatibility, and user interfaces that might better suit your individual or organizational requirements. We encourage you to explore these options and choose the best fit based on your operating system, preferred interface (command-line vs. GUI), and desired functionalities.