Preface

I believe you are certainly familiar with IDM. It was once a globally popular downloader, known for using multi-threaded download to maximize bandwidth and employing intelligent dynamic file segmentation technology. For a long time, it stood out among many download software with its unique advantages.

Its plugin takes over the browser's downloads, automatically captures links, and splits the file into several parts to download simultaneously.

But the downsides:

• Not free: Although money is indeed a motivation for development, the price is still somewhat high; despite providing a trial period, long-term use requires purchasing a license.
• Interface (ugly) and relatively fixed functionality: Compared to some open-source or more modern download tools, IDM's interface and feature updates may not be frequent enough, and support for new features is not as flexible as some competitors.
• Compatibility issues: Although IDM widely supports most mainstream browsers, sometimes after specific browser updates, integration or compatibility issues arise, requiring manual adjustment or waiting for software updates.

Quote from Bilibili article

So let's introduce today's protagonist: AB Download Manager (ABDM)

It is not only open-source and free, but also due to its development based on Kotlin language, it supports cross-platform operation on Win/Linux, making it a perfect substitute for IDM.

Core Features

Faster Download Speed

Extremely fast, just like IDM with file splitting and multi-threaded download. In my own tests, the speed actually reached over 100 MB/s (my home bandwidth is gigabit fiber).

Modern and Clean Interface

The interface is clean and beautiful, quite modern, supporting both light and dark themes.

Download Plans

Supports resume downloads (well, it seems every downloader should have this feature).

Cross-Platform Support

Cross-platform support for Win/Linux, much better than that old fossil IDM.

Simple and Clear Configuration

Supports setting download proxy, speed limits, and can integrate with browsers.

Download Queue

Can create and manage download queues, run all files sequentially.

Open Source & Free

Completely open source! Feel free to suggest features you like via issues, or implement them yourself for everyone's benefit—shared joy is double joy.

Why This One?

For me, the most important thing is that it's free, and the interface is much better than that old IDM. Also, the open-source community is the most attractive point for me; we can solve problems together, discuss together. For example, the software originally only supported English, but after improvements by many contributors, it now supports multiple languages. IDM has many features, but for me, downloading is actually the most important thing, and ABDM is precisely a software focused on downloading.

In summary, ABDM brings a freshness different from other downloaders. I hope you'll give it a try!

How to Install and Use?

Github releases: https://github.com/amir1376/ab-download-manager/releases

Website: https://abdownloadmanager.com/