Key Takeaways

• A download manager allows you to take advantage of your network's full bandwidth by breaking down files and downloading them in multiple pieces for faster turnaround times.
• Download managers make it easy to resume failed downloads, saving both data and time. They download content in parts, so you don't have to start from scratch.
• With download managers, you can download multiple files at once and add them to a queue for effortless downloading. They also offer bandwidth controls, allowing you to choose the speed at which the app fetches data.

Tell us if this sounds familiar: you're waiting for a large download to complete on your phone. But at the final percentage point, it abruptly fails, and you're forced to restart the whole process. If you're usually on an erratic mobile network, the chances of this happening are even higher. Hence, you need a download manager.

Download managers can help you overcome several common hassles about downloading from the internet. Let's take a look at why you should try them and show you the best download managers available for Android.

Why Do You Need a Download Manager?

Before we look at some apps for this purpose, let's examine the reasons that a download manager is useful.

Take Advantage of Your Network's Complete Bandwidth

When your phone downloads a file as a single large chunk of data, it can't use the connection's maximum bandwidth. This is primarily due to the limitations of the source's server. But what if your phone could break down that file and transfer it in multiple pieces? It will lead to much quicker turnaround times, and you'll no longer be restricted by the source.

Download managers, unlike a browser's built-in download tool, let you achieve this concept of multithreading without any fuss or additional settings.

Easily Resume Failed Downloads

Many factors can cause a download to go wrong. These malfunctions are a waste of both your data and time. Download managers enable you to easily resume failed downloads with the tap of a button. Even if you can't revive them from the exact point when they crashed, you still won't have to begin from scratch since these apps download content in parts.

Batch and Simultaneous Downloads

Download managers are also better at downloading more than one file at a time. Most of them can cleverly allocate resources depending on the source's quality and size.

In addition, you can start several downloads, and these apps will add them to a queue, so you don't have to manually begin each one. This is great if you're visiting an Android APK download site and grabbing a bunch of apps.

Bandwidth Controls

Heavy downloads can interfere with your phone's other functions. For instance, you might have to settle for a lower-quality stream on YouTube when there's an active download, and even if you permanently change YouTube video quality to avoid switching to a lower quality, it'd result in constant buffering.

Download managers overcome that with bandwidth controls. You can specifically choose the speed at which the app fetches the data. Plus, on some apps, you can set dedicated settings for a particular connection.

Download Scheduling

If your downloads can wait, you can also schedule them with download managers. You can assign them a time period and tell the app to turn your Wi-Fi off or on automatically once the task is done.

A few download manager apps can sync your downloads with your alarms, too. And when your phone downloads files at night, it's easy to have Android's Do Not Disturb prevent notifications about the downloaded files.

The Best Download Managers for Android

Now that you know all the major benefits, you probably want to try a download manager for yourself. Here are your best choices.

The three download managers listed below work by pasting the download link into the app. Just long-tap the link in your mobile browser, choose something along the lines of Copy link address, and add that link to your preferred download manager to begin downloading.

1. Advanced Download Manager

Advanced Download Manager is the most feature-rich app you can install in this category. It offers all the tools we've discussed, plus many more. The app supports up to 16 threads and five simultaneous downloads and can automatically resume failed transfers.

On top of that, you can schedule downloads to line up with your alarms and access comprehensive stats on your past downloads. Advanced Download Manager can also categorize files based on their type, such as documents and music.

Among the other dozens of options it offers, you can enable Smart download for increased download speeds and Auto-resume for resuming the download when it gets interrupted.

You even have automation options here. The app can pause downloads when your phone is low on battery, wait for Wi-Fi if the file size crosses a given threshold, and more. If you'd like, you can theme the app however you want with a wide gamut of customization features.

Further, you can download torrents along with the regular downloads. The best part: Advanced Download Manager is free, with ads that you can pay to remove.

Download: Advanced Download Manager (Free, in-app purchases available)

2. 1DM

1DM has a basic feature set similar to that of Advanced Download Manager but there are a few notable differences you should know about.

For starters, 1DM has a modern, torrent client-style design, which is easier to navigate. In addition, it supports 10 simultaneous downloads and 16 threads. Apart from that, you get the usual stuff like link recognition from your clipboard and a prompt to add it to the queue. 1DM is also compatible with torrents, in addition to regular downloads.

Like Advanced Download Manager, you have all the essential utilities in 1DM, including a batch downloader, scheduling, themes, automatic categorizing, and more. 1DM lets you control the bandwidth and optimize transfers depending on your phone's battery or connection.

1DM's free version shows ads and locks a handful of features, such as scheduling. You can jump up to the Pro variant for a few dollars if you like.

Download: 1DM (Free) | 1DM+ ($3.99)

3. FDM

On the surface, FDM seems like a minimalist download manager that works in the same way as the first two apps on this list. However, if you check out the options it offers for each download and the plethora of settings you can tinker with, you'll quickly realize that it's a powerful app on the inside.

Like the other two apps, you can download torrents along with the regular files. In addition, it lets you arrange your downloads by file type and specific folders. You also get the usual resuming, scheduling, and adjusting traffic usage abilities in FDM, among other useful options.

Download: FDM (Free)

Are Your Phone's Download Speeds Still Slow?

Your phone's native download manager isn't terribly advanced. These download managers will thus make a handy addition to your toolkit, especially if you often download files from the internet.

If your downloads have been extra sluggish lately, a download manager won't do much. You may need to dig deeper into the problem and research the reasons your phone has slow internet speeds.