Of course, it wouldn’t be right not to include an open-source option, and JD download is, in-part, just that. JDownloader is a free downloader with high-performing capabilities in multiply file downloading. However, it is much better suited to the niche group of tech-savvy users who can manipulate the software to suit themselves.
With the source code open and free-to-use, distribute and change as desired, JD Download is a popular choice among the developer community and the more tech-focused users. They contribute to a constantly evolving framework that is always up to date and efficient.
Written in Java, JDownloader is supported by Windows, macOS, and Linux and is considered a top-rated download manager that is feature-rich and free. By being written in Java, JDownloader is compatible with anything written in or for Java, however as Java gets more and more outdated, the software can take longer to load on start-up. This download management software is also accepted as having the best compatibility with macOS.
Out of the box, JDownloader offers support for over 300 decryption formats. It also has support for automatic RAR extraction, password list lookup and OCR to complete some of the ‘I’m not a robot’ captcha checks you find on download sites. This will save a lot of your time.
In order to run JDownloader you will need Java Runtime Environment. Meanwhile, we’d advise you to be careful be careful when downloading and installing it: as the installer contains some nasty adware that should be deselected and packaged with the download manager.
A highlight feature is that JDownloader can automate download processes for you by crawling links and finding downloadable content, and extracting download archives. It can even handle CAPTCHA interference and time limits. All users have to do us provide the link. Other more general features include pausing downloads, limiting the speeds, and scheduling downloads.
Recent updates have improved the interface and general performance, as well as more specific things such as adding remote control functions and regular automatic plug-in updates. The remote control function allows you to control your downloads from a web interface or an Android or macOS App remotely.
As for the interface, it has many user-friendly features and is easy to use, despite first impressions. There is a clipboard manager, meaning you can collect multiple download links and batch download them. While JDownloader may not have features like Internet Download Manager it will be enough for most computer users.