The best download manager for Mac in 2026

The right one depends on what you download. Below are eight download managers for Mac: seven from other developers, and Lynx, which we make. For each, you get what it does best, what it costs and who should pick it.

The Lynx team Checked 9 min read

How we compared

We make Lynx, so read this with that in mind. We didn’t benchmark the other apps: everything about them comes from each developer’s own site or release notes, checked on September 28, 2026. The links are under Sources at the end. The only numbers we measured are Lynx’s.

Quick picks

The best free download managers for Mac

4 of the apps here are free with no paid tier: Free Download Manager, AB Download Manager, Motrix and JDownloader 2. Lynx has a free version too, with no time limit. Before you pick a free app, check when it was last updated, in the “Latest release” column below.

Side by side

Prices in US dollars. “Catches browser downloads” means a browser extension or plugin hands downloads to the app.

Download managers for Mac compared
AppPriceMacCatches browser downloadsTorrentsVideo from web pagesLatest release
Free Download Manager Free Apple silicon + Intelolder builds to 10.11 Chrome, Firefox, Edge With an add-on 6.35
AB Download Manager Free Apple silicon + Intel Chrome, Firefox 1.10.4Sep 2026
Motrix Free Apple silicon + Intel Chrome, Edge, Firefoxversion 2 beta Pluginsversion 2 beta 1.8.19May 2023 · 2.0 beta Sep 2026
JDownloader 2 Free Java appmacOS 10.15 to 26 Chrome, Firefox, Edge, OperaMyJDownloader, sends links
Folx FreePRO from $19.95 macOS 10.13+ Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Opera 5.34Jun 2026
Progressive Downloader Free$4.99 on the App Store macOS 13+ Major browsers 9.8Sep 2026
Downie $19.99or with Setapp macOS 13+ Safari, Chrome, Firefoxsends links 4.13.1
Lynx Download Manager ours FreePro $29.99/yr or $99 once Apple siliconmacOS 11+ · Intel not yet Chrome, Edge, Brave, Arc Yesup to 1080p on Free 1.1.3Oct 2026

A check means the developer’s site lists it; a dash means it doesn’t. Checked September 28, 2026.

The eight apps

Grouped roughly by what they’re for: free all-rounders first, then paid Mac apps, a video-only app, and ours last.

1. Free Download Manager

FreeDownloadManager.org · freedownloadmanager.org

The biggest free name here. FDM splits files into sections and downloads them at once, resumes interrupted downloads, has a built-in BitTorrent client, and catches downloads through official Chrome and Firefox extensions. Version 6.35 has separate builds for Apple silicon and Intel, and older versions are still offered for macOS 10.11 to 12.

Good: Free, with no paid tier · Torrents and magnet links built in · Builds for Apple silicon and Intel, and for older macOS versions.

Keep in mind: Saving video from web pages needs a separate add-on.

Pick it if you want one free app for files and torrents, or you’re on an Intel Mac or an older macOS.

Lynx and Free Download Manager, side by side

2. AB Download Manager

Open source, on GitHub · abdownloadmanager.com

A free, open-source (Apache-2.0) download manager that has grown quickly since 2024, with over 18,000 stars on GitHub. It speeds up downloads, has queues and a scheduler, and catches downloads through extensions listed in the Chrome Web Store and Firefox Add-ons. Mac builds for Apple silicon and Intel ship with every release (1.10.4 on September 8, 2026).

Good: Free and open source · Queues and a scheduler · Browser extensions in the official stores.

Keep in mind: Made for files: it doesn’t list torrents or saving video from web pages.

Pick it if you want a free, open-source IDM-style manager for files and don’t need torrents or video.

3. Motrix

Open source, on GitHub · motrix.app

A popular open-source download manager for HTTP, FTP, BitTorrent and magnet links. The stable version, 1.8.19, dates from May 2023. Version 2, a rebuild with an official extension for Chrome, Edge and Firefox, speed-limit profiles and plugins, has been in public beta since August 2026.

Good: Free and open source · Torrents and magnet links · Version 2 is in very active development.

Keep in mind: Browser catching comes with the version 2 beta; its README asks you to back up your Motrix 1 data before trying it.

Pick it if you want a free, open-source manager for files and torrents, and you’re happy to run a beta for browser catching.

Lynx and Motrix, side by side

4. JDownloader 2

AppWork · jdownloader.org

The long-standing free, open-source choice for power users. You can start, stop and pause downloads, set bandwidth limits and have archives unpacked when they finish, and it’s built to be extended. It’s widely used for downloading from file-hosting sites. It runs on Java, with installers for every macOS from Catalina to Tahoe.

Good: Free and open source · Unpacks archives automatically · Installers for old and new macOS versions.

Keep in mind: It runs on Java rather than as a Mac app, with a lot of settings. No torrents.

Pick it if you download from file-hosting sites or big lists of links and want maximum control.

Lynx and JDownloader 2, side by side

5. Folx

Electronic Team · electronic.us/products/folx

A Mac-only download manager and torrent client that has been around for years. The free version splits each download into 2 threads, resumes automatically and handles torrents; Folx PRO (from $19.95) adds up to 20 threads, scheduling, speed control and torrent search. It works with Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Opera through its plugin.

Good: Mac-only, with Safari integration · Torrents in the free version · Needs only macOS 10.13 or later.

Keep in mind: The free version uses 2 threads per download; scheduling and speed control are PRO.

Pick it if you want a long-established Mac-only app with torrents and Safari integration.

Lynx and Folx, side by side

6. Progressive Downloader

Maxim Trushin · macpsd.net

A long-running Mac download manager from an independent developer: multi-thread downloads with mirror search, a built-in FTP, SFTP and WebDAV browser, “Active Hours” so downloads run only in a time window, and support for AppleScript, Automator and Shortcuts. It’s free from its website and $4.99 on the Mac App Store (as “PD”).

Good: Free from its site, $4.99 on the Mac App Store · FTP, SFTP and WebDAV built in · Scriptable with AppleScript, Automator and Shortcuts.

Keep in mind: The current version needs macOS 13 or later; older versions are in its archive.

Pick it if you want a light, scriptable Mac app for files and FTP servers.

7. Downie

Charlie Monroe Software · software.charliemonroe.net/downie

Downie isn’t a general download manager. It’s a Mac app for saving video from web pages. Paste a link or send it from its Safari, Chrome or Firefox extension, and it can convert what it saves to MP4 or keep only the audio. A license is $19.99, and it’s also part of Setapp.

Good: Frequent updates: the developer says every week or two · Extensions for Safari, Chrome and Firefox.

Keep in mind: It doesn’t speed up or manage ordinary file downloads. Not sold on the Mac App Store.

Pick it if you only save video from web pages and want a tool that does just that.

8. Lynx Download Manager (ours)

Slowrox (us) · lynxdownloadmanager.com

Our app, so we’ve put it last. Lynx is an IDM-style download manager for the Mac. It splits files across up to 32 connections, resumes them after a drop, takes over big downloads from Chrome, Edge, Brave and Arc and saves video and audio from the pages you visit. Clip Download fetches just a time range of a long video, without downloading all of it. Download progress shows in the MacBook’s notch.

Lynx’s download list: five links pasted at once, a disk image, a video, an archive, lossless audio and a trailer, downloading side by side.

Good: Free version with no time limit: multi-connection downloads, browser catching, media up to 1080p · Clips as H.264 video or audio; vertical, square and GIF on Pro · Every Pro feature free for 14 days, no account.

Keep in mind: Apple silicon only for now. The Intel version isn’t out yet. No torrents and no scheduler. Pro costs more than most apps here: $29.99 a year, $4.99 a month or $99 once.

Pick it if you want IDM-style browser catching on the Mac, or you cut clips from long videos for your edits.

How to choose

Four questions sort most people out. For a longer checklist, see how to choose a download manager for Mac.

  1. What do you download? Just files: any of the first four, Folx or Progressive Downloader. Torrents too: Free Download Manager, Motrix or Folx. Video from web pages: Downie, Lynx, or Free Download Manager with its add-on. Files from file-hosting sites: JDownloader.
  2. Which browser do you use? Safari: Folx, Downie or Progressive Downloader. Chrome, Edge, Brave or Arc: Lynx. Chrome, Firefox or Edge: Free Download Manager, AB Download Manager, or the Motrix 2 beta.
  3. Which Mac? On an Intel Mac or an older macOS, Free Download Manager (builds back to macOS 10.11), Folx (10.13 or later) and JDownloader still cover you. Progressive Downloader and Downie need macOS 13; Lynx needs Apple silicon and macOS 11 or later.
  4. Free or paid? Free Download Manager, AB Download Manager, Motrix and JDownloader are free. Folx PRO is from $19.95 and Downie is $19.99. Lynx is free to use, and Pro is $29.99 a year, $4.99 a month or $99 once.

Where Lynx fits

Lynx is a good fit if you’re coming from IDM and want your browser’s big downloads caught and split across connections again; if you save video from web pages and want files that open in any editor (Lynx prefers H.264); or if you need a few seconds from a long video without downloading the whole thing. A 35-second clip from a 10-minute film took 11 MB instead of 255 MB in our test.

Pick something else if you need torrents (Free Download Manager, Motrix, Folx), mostly use Safari (Folx, Progressive Downloader), are on an Intel Mac (Free Download Manager, Folx), or want everything free, with no paid tier (Free Download Manager, AB Download Manager).

Questions

What is the best free download manager for Mac?
For files and torrents, Free Download Manager. If you want open source, AB Download Manager (files) or Motrix (files and torrents). Lynx also has a free version with no time limit (multi-connection downloads, browser catching and media up to 1080p), but no torrents.
Is there an IDM for Mac?
No. Internet Download Manager only runs on Windows. Every app on this list is a Mac alternative. Lynx is built around the same habits as IDM: it catches big downloads from your browser and splits them across up to 32 connections. More on IDM for Mac, and on running IDM itself in Windows on a Mac: can you install IDM on a Mac?
What is the fastest download manager for Mac?
Speed comes from splitting a file across several connections, and most apps on this list do that, so on most downloads they finish close together. A download manager is faster than Safari or Chrome when the server limits each connection; none can beat your own line. We haven’t run a head-to-head test of the other apps. Lynx uses 16 connections per file by default and up to 32. Why downloads crawl, and what helps: how to make downloads faster on a Mac.
Do I need a download manager on a Mac?
Not for the odd small file. Safari and Chrome handle those fine. A download manager helps when you download big files, on a connection that drops, or many files at once. It resumes where it stopped, can split a file across several connections, and keeps a queue. See how to download large files on a Mac.
Which download managers work with Safari?
Folx integrates with Safari, Downie has a Safari extension, and Progressive Downloader says it works with all major browsers. Lynx has no Safari extension yet: copy a download link and Lynx offers to download it when you switch to it. Its extension covers Chrome, Edge, Brave and Arc.
What about Neat Download Manager?
It’s free and very small, and its site lists browser extensions for Chrome, Edge and Firefox. But its Mac version is still 1.3, an installer its site dates to July 2021, and the site doesn’t say whether it runs natively on Apple silicon, so we left it out of the eight. Details: Lynx and Neat Download Manager, side by side.
Are paid Mac download managers worth it, or is a free one enough?
For plain files, a free one is enough: Free Download Manager, AB Download Manager, Motrix and Lynx’s free version all split files across several connections and resume them. Paid versions earn their price with extras you may or may not need: higher video quality, more downloads at once, clips, playlists, or support from a company. Try the free tier first and pay only for a feature you miss.
Which Mac download managers catch downloads from the browser?
Most on this list have a browser extension for Chrome-based browsers, and some for Firefox; the table above shows which. Safari is the hard one: few download managers can take over Safari downloads directly, so the usual way is to copy the link. Lynx catches big downloads in Chrome, Edge, Brave and Arc, and offers any download link you copy.
How do Mac download managers handle very large files?
They split the file into parts, fetch the parts at the same time, and keep what they already have if the connection drops. A 20 GB file that fails at 90% then resumes instead of starting over, as long as the server allows it. Check there’s enough free space first, and keep the Mac awake. More in how to download large files on a Mac.
What security features should a Mac download manager have?
Three to look for: the app is signed with an Apple Developer ID and notarized by Apple, so macOS can check it; you download it only from its developer’s own site, GitHub page or the Mac App Store; and the files it saves keep macOS’s quarantine flag, so Gatekeeper still checks an app or installer you downloaded before it opens. Lynx does all three. Published checksums let you confirm the installer wasn’t changed. Lynx’s are on its security page.
Did you test these apps?
We didn’t benchmark the other apps. Everything about them comes from their developers’ own pages, checked on September 28, 2026, and linked under Sources. The numbers we quote about Lynx are our own measurements.
Are these apps safe to install?
Download each one only from its developer’s own site, GitHub page or the Mac App Store, never from a mirror. If macOS says it can’t check an app, make sure you expected that before you choose Open Anyway. Lynx is signed and notarized by Apple, so it opens like any other app.

Sources

Facts about other apps come from their developers’ own pages, checked on September 28, 2026. Prices and versions change. If something here is out of date, tell us.

  1. Free Download Manager Mac download page: builds, macOS versions, extensions
  2. Free Download Manager features
  3. Free Download Manager home page: browsers, torrents
  4. AB Download Manager README on GitHub: features, license, extensions
  5. AB Download Manager releases: 1.10.4, Sep 8, 2026, Mac arm64 and x64
  6. Motrix README on GitHub: version 2 features, beta notes
  7. Motrix releases: 1.8.19, May 3, 2023; 2.0.0-beta.41, Sep 27, 2026
  8. JDownloader home page: what it does
  9. JDownloader downloads: macOS installers
  10. MyJDownloader apps and browser extensions: official extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Opera
  11. Folx product page: free vs PRO, price, requirements, version 5.34 (Jun 3, 2026)
  12. Progressive Downloader home page: features, requirements, prices
  13. PD on the Mac App Store: $4.99, version 9.8, Sep 7, 2026
  14. Downie developer’s page: price, requirements, extensions (as archived on Sep 22, 2026; the live page didn’t load for us on Sep 28)
  15. Downie on Setapp: version 4.13.1, macOS 13 or later

More guides

All guides
Comparison · Choosing a download manager IDM for Mac: what works instead Internet Download Manager is Windows-only. Your options on a Mac, side by side. Guide · Choosing a download manager Can you install IDM on a Mac? IDM is Windows-only. Running it in Parallels or VMware Fusion (CrossOver won’t install it): what it takes, what it costs and what doesn’t work. Guide · Choosing a download manager A download manager for Safari on Mac What Safari’s own downloads list can and can’t do, and how to hand its downloads to a download manager today.