AB Download Manager is the newest name in the download-manager space that people actually recommend without a caveat. Kotlin and Compose Multiplatform under the hood, native binaries for Windows and Linux, and a UI that finally looks like it was drawn in this decade. The GitHub repo passed eighteen thousand stars this year and the release cadence is monthly. The parts that still catch people out: no macOS build yet, no torrent client, and a browser extension that has been catching up with the desktop app in bursts rather than in step. People searching for AB Download Manager alternatives usually want one of three things: a macOS build, torrent support in the same app, or a downloader that has been battle-tested for longer than a couple of years. We compared seven that fill those gaps.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | License | Platforms | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motrix | Modern UI with torrent support | Free, open-source | Windows, macOS, Linux | Electron UI on top of the aria2 engine |
| Xtreme Download Manager | Broadest browser and video capture | Free, open-source | Windows, macOS, Linux | Grabs streaming video from most sites |
| JDownloader | Filehosters and captcha queues | Free (adware-free installer) | Windows, macOS, Linux | Handles Mega, Rapidgator, DLC files |
| Persepolis | Native Qt aria2 GUI | Free, open-source | Windows, macOS, Linux | Feels crisp on Linux and Mac |
| uGet | Lightweight Linux and Windows | Free, open-source | Windows, Linux | Deep queue system, low RAM |
| aria2 | Command line and headless | Free, open-source | Windows, macOS, Linux | The engine behind most of the list |
| Free Download Manager | All-in-one veteran | Free | Windows, macOS, Linux | HTTP, torrents, and video in one app |
Why people leave AB Download Manager
The complaints below are almost entirely about scope, not quality. The core downloader is excellent; the ecosystem around it is still filling in.
No macOS build yet
The roadmap has listed a macOS build for a while, but as of the current release stream, the packaged builds cover Windows and Linux. Motrix, XDM, Persepolis, and Free Download Manager all ship native macOS binaries today.
No built-in torrent client
AB Download Manager is HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP. If the queue also needs torrents and magnet links, Motrix and Free Download Manager fold both into one app; otherwise it means running a torrent client alongside.
No streaming video grab
Neat as the AB installer is, it does not grab embedded video from YouTube, Vimeo, or Twitch. XDM and Free Download Manager both do, with the browser extension detecting playable streams automatically.
The browser extension is younger than the app
The extension is on the Chrome and Firefox stores and it works, but the AB team ships extension updates on a slower cadence than the desktop app. Motrix’s and XDM’s browser extensions are older, more polished, and rarely lag behind.
Battle-testing takes years
AB Download Manager is stable, but “we shipped it in 2023” is a shorter track record than JDownloader (2009), FDM (2004), or aria2 (2006). For readers who need a client to keep working through five Windows updates in a row, the older projects have a longer proof.
The alternatives
Motrix – Best modern UI with torrent support
Motrix wraps the aria2 engine in an Electron UI that looks and behaves like a modern app. Chrome and Firefox extensions hand off downloads, and the same queue handles torrents and magnet links alongside HTTP. Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux from the same codebase.
Where it falls short: Electron footprint is larger than AB Download Manager or uGet. Release cadence goes quiet for stretches.
Pricing: Free. MIT.
Migrating from AB Download Manager: Import the browser extension, point Motrix at the same downloads folder, and let it queue in place. Fifteen minutes for a mid-size setup.
Download: motrix.app
Bottom line: The closest match to AB Download Manager’s design ethos, with macOS and torrents added.
Xtreme Download Manager (XDM) – Best for streaming video
Xtreme Download Manager is the tool most people install when they specifically need to grab embedded video. The browser extension monitors most player-based sites and offers a one-click download for the actual stream. Also does everything AB Download Manager does for regular HTTP files.
Where it falls short: Java-based install feels dated next to AB or Motrix. The video-grab feature occasionally lags site changes.
Pricing: Free. GPL v2.
Migrating from AB Download Manager: Uninstall the AB browser extension, install the XDM one, and pick up where you left off. The XDM UI covers everything AB does plus video.
Download: xtremedownloadmanager.com
Bottom line: The right pick when the queue is video-heavy.
JDownloader – Best for filehoster queues
JDownloader is built around one-click hosters (Mega, Rapidgator, Uploaded, ddownload, and the rest). Reads DLC container files, waits out per-hoster cooldowns, solves captchas either locally or via the reader, and unpacks multi-part archives on completion.
Where it falls short: The installer bundles optional adware; untick during setup. UI is dense and takes a session to learn.
Pricing: Free. GPL v3. No paid tier.
Migrating from AB Download Manager: Different niche. Install alongside AB or Motrix when the download list is mostly filehoster links.
Download: jdownloader.org
Bottom line: Run this alongside your main downloader specifically for hoster-heavy queues.
Persepolis – Best native Qt front-end for aria2
Persepolis is a Qt-based front-end for aria2 that renders as a native app on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Feels crisper on Linux than Electron-based Motrix because it uses the system widget toolkit.
Where it falls short: Browser hand-off relies on a helper extension that is more fragile than Motrix’s. Windows build is functional but not the primary platform.
Pricing: Free. GPL v3.
Migrating from AB Download Manager: Point Persepolis at the same downloads folder; it picks up in place. Import queues manually.
Download: persepolisdm.github.io
Bottom line: The right pick on Linux or Mac when a native GUI matters.
uGet – Best lightweight pick
uGet is built around a proper queue and category system. Categories can each have their own destination folder and speed limit, and the built-in queue schedule handles “download at 2 AM.” Small footprint, low RAM, and it uses curl or aria2 under the hood.
Where it falls short: No macOS build. The Windows installer looks 2010 vintage.
Pricing: Free. GPL v3.
Migrating from AB Download Manager: Great on Linux; import the browser extension and reuse the same downloads folder.
Download: ugetdm.com
Bottom line: The right pick on Linux or a low-RAM Windows box.
aria2 – Best command line and headless
aria2 is the engine that powers Motrix and Persepolis. On its own, it is a command-line tool with a JSON-RPC interface. Great on a headless home server, a NAS, or a Raspberry Pi that queues downloads overnight.
Where it falls short: No GUI at all. Every workflow lives in a config file or an RPC call.
Pricing: Free. GPL v2.
Migrating from AB Download Manager: Only relevant when the workflow is scripted or lives on a server.
Download: aria2.github.io
Bottom line: The engine of choice when the download queue lives away from a desktop.
Free Download Manager – Best all-in-one
Free Download Manager covers HTTP, torrents, magnet links, and video grabbing in one app, on every desktop OS. The UI is not as clean as AB Download Manager’s or Motrix’s, but the feature list is the deepest in this comparison.
Where it falls short: Closed source, and the 2023 Linux repository compromise is still a factor for some readers even though the current builds are patched.
Pricing: Free.
Migrating from AB Download Manager: Reuse the downloads folder and import the browser extension. Also folds in torrent duty if you were running a separate client.
Download: freedownloadmanager.org
Bottom line: The most feature-complete swap, with a trust footnote to read before installing.
How to choose
Pick Motrix if the goal is AB’s look and feel with macOS support and torrents added.
Pick XDM when the download queue is video-heavy and browser detection matters most.
Pick JDownloader as a companion when most of what you download comes from one-click hosters.
Pick Persepolis on Linux or Mac when a native Qt UI beats an Electron one.
Pick uGet for a light, fast pick on Linux or an older Windows machine.
Pick aria2 when the workflow is command-line, scripted, or headless.
Pick Free Download Manager to consolidate HTTP, torrents, and video grabbing into one app.
Stay on AB Download Manager if the setup is Windows or Linux only, the queue is HTTP-only, and the current release cadence keeps up with the reader’s needs. That covers a lot of readers.
FAQ
Is AB Download Manager safe?
Yes. The project is open-source under MIT, hosted on GitHub, and every release is reproducible from the tagged source. The Windows installer is signed and clean.
Which AB Download Manager alternative works on Mac?
Motrix, XDM, JDownloader, Persepolis, aria2, and Free Download Manager all ship native macOS builds. AB Download Manager itself does not yet.
What is the best AB Download Manager alternative with torrent support?
Motrix and Free Download Manager both handle HTTP and torrents from the same UI. AB Download Manager keeps torrents out of scope.
Does AB Download Manager grab streaming video?
No. XDM and Free Download Manager both detect and grab embedded video from most player-based sites; AB Download Manager only handles direct file URLs.
Which download manager is the fastest?
All the multi-segment downloaders (AB, Motrix, XDM, uGet, aria2, FDM) reach the same practical ceiling on a modern connection, which is your ISP’s line speed or the source server’s rate limit, whichever comes first. Feature depth is a better tiebreaker than “speed.”
Is Motrix still maintained?
The Motrix repo has entered longer quiet periods between releases, but the project is not archived, and Motrix Next carries the active fork for readers who want a faster cadence. Either way, the aria2 engine underneath is maintained separately.
