Alternatives to aria2

A command line downloader that pulls one file from several sources at once, including a torrent and a mirror together. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as aria2.

  • GNU Wget2

    Successor to Wget with HTTP/2, parallel connections and compression.

    FreeOpen sourcemacOSLinuxCommand line

    GNU Wget2 is also a command line downloader with parallel connections and HTTP/2, but it has no BitTorrent or Metalink support and no Windows build listed.

  • Persepolis

    A download manager built on aria2 that splits a file across up to sixty-four connections and schedules queues.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Persepolis is a Qt desktop interface built on aria2, adding scheduled queues and up to sixty-four connections, but it drops the pure command line and daemon workflow.

  • Motrix

    A clean desktop download manager that speaks HTTP, FTP, BitTorrent and magnet links from one queue.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Motrix gives a graphical Electron queue for HTTP, FTP, BitTorrent and magnet links on desktop, but loses scripting and Android support, and version 1 has not been released since 2023.

  • Axel

    Lightweight command-line download accelerator that fetches one file over several connections at once.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxCommand line

    Axel is also a lightweight command-line accelerator using several connections per file, but it runs only on Linux and lacks BitTorrent, Metalink and a JSON-RPC daemon.

  • GNU Wget

    A non-interactive command-line tool for retrieving files over HTTP, HTTPS, FTP and FTPS.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxCommand line

    GNU Wget is a GPL-3.0 command-line tool with resume and recursive mirroring, but it downloads over a single connection and lacks BitTorrent, Metalink and an RPC daemon.

  • Varia

    A simple download manager for regular downloads, torrents and videos, built on aria2.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsLinux

    Varia builds a simple graphical app on the aria2 engine for regular downloads, torrents and videos, available for Windows and Linux with Flatpak and Snap packaging.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.