Compared with Free Download Manager or Internet Download Manager, aria2 skips the window entirely. It is a command-line utility, version 1.37.0 on Windows, and the whole package weighs 2.4 MB. It is free and released under GPL-2.0-or-later.
Running aria2 from the terminal after install
aria2 is a command-line tool, so there is no graphical screen to open. You work with it from a terminal and pass a link or a torrent file as an argument.
The package ID is aria2.aria2. Because it is a lightweight utility, setup involves little beyond placing the program where your terminal can find it.
Protocols and remote control built into one tool
aria2 handles HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, SFTP, BitTorrent and Metalink. It is also described as multi-source, meaning a single download can draw on more than one source.
Another feature is control by program. Built-in JSON-RPC and XML-RPC interfaces let other software drive it, which suits scripts and custom front ends better than a manual workflow.
When Free Download Manager or JDownloader 2 fits better
People who want buttons, queues on screen and browser hooks will likely prefer a graphical option. The listed alternatives include Free Download Manager, Internet Download Manager, Xtreme Download Manager and JDownloader 2.
cURL is also listed, and it is the closer match for people who stay in the terminal but want a different tool.
What's new in 1.37.0
Version 1.37.0 was released on November 15, 2023. The changelog includes a fix for a crash in GZipEncoder, corrected Metalink4 parsing with foreign namespaces, and better entropy for getRandomBytes.
aria2 pros and cons
Pros
- Supports HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, SFTP, BitTorrent and Metalink in one tool
- Small at 2.4 MB
- Free, with a GPL-2.0-or-later license
- JSON-RPC and XML-RPC interfaces allow scripting and remote control
- Changelog shows fixes for a GZipEncoder crash and Metalink4 parsing
Cons
- Command-line only, with no graphical interface described
- No graphical interface
- Last updated on November 15, 2023
Is aria2 safe?
aria2 is a command-line tool released under GPL-2.0-or-later by the aria2 project, whose site is aria2.github.io. Because it is open source, its code can be inspected by anyone. Version 1.37.0 is 2.4 MB, and its changelog includes a fix for better entropy in getRandomBytes and a preference for random number generators from crypto libraries.
How to install aria2
- Press the download button to get the official file.
- Run the installer you saved and confirm the Windows security prompt if the publisher matches.
- Follow the setup steps, then start aria2 from the Start menu.
