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Head-to-head · Download Manager Software

aria2 vs KGet

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score aria2 #7 in Download Manager Software 8.6/10 Open source ✓ 1 of 5 features Visit aria2
KGet #8 in Download Manager Software 8.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 5 features Visit KDE

aria2 leads on 0 checks, KGet on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scorearia2 · 8.6/10
  • Free planonly KGet

aria2 scores higher on our rubric for download manager software: 8.6 against 8.4 out of 10; our editors rank them #7 and #8.

aria2 is the better fit for technical users needing protocol flexibility. KGet is the better fit for linux users wanting a lightweight file manager.

  • aria2 fits best

    Technical users needing protocol flexibility

  • KGet fits best

    Linux users wanting a lightweight file manager

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Side by side

Feature aria2 8.6/10 Visit ↗ KGet 8.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.6 8.4
Ranking #7 in Download Manager Software #8 in Download Manager Software
Best for Technical users needing protocol flexibility Linux users wanting a lightweight file manager
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Open source Free plan
Free plan Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop Desktop
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, Android Linux
Support Docs Community, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business
Features aria2 1/5 · KGet 1/5
Browser integration Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Video downloading Not checked yet Not checked yet
Download scheduling Not checked yet Not checked yet
Remote control ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Portable version Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, Android Linux
Concurrent downloads Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Supports HTTP(S), FTP, SFTP, BitTorrent and Metalink transfers
  • Combines multi-source, segmented downloading and checksum validation
  • Offers JSON-RPC, XML-RPC, daemon operation and bandwidth throttling
  • Free and open source with FTP and HTTP(S) support
  • Pauses, resumes, restarts, and retries broken downloads
  • Metalink checksums, clipboard monitoring, and download grouping
Cons
  • Command-line operation is less approachable than a graphical interface
  • Video downloading is not explicitly documented
  • Scheduled downloads, browser extensions and portable builds are not documented
  • Linux-only platform scope
  • Konqueror is the listed browser integration
  • No documented scheduling, concurrent downloads, or video support
Our verdict

aria2 is an open-source command-line download utility for technical users who want a scriptable local transfer engine. It supports Windows, macOS, Linux and Android, with transfers across HTTP(S), FTP, SFTP, BitTorrent and Metalink. Its…

Read the review →

KGet is an open-source download manager from KDE for Linux desktop users, particularly those who want a focused way to handle FTP and HTTP(S) transfers. It displays current and pending downloads, can run in the system tray, and supports…

Read the review →
  1. aria2Download Manager Software 8.6Open source
  2. KGetDownload Manager Software 8.4Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • aria2 — where it wins

    • Supports HTTP(S), FTP, SFTP, BitTorrent and Metalink transfers
    • Combines multi-source, segmented downloading and checksum validation
    • Offers JSON-RPC, XML-RPC, daemon operation and bandwidth throttling

    Where it doesn't

    • Command-line operation is less approachable than a graphical interface
    • Video downloading is not explicitly documented
    • Scheduled downloads, browser extensions and portable builds are not documented
  • KGet — where it wins

    • Free and open source with FTP and HTTP(S) support
    • Pauses, resumes, restarts, and retries broken downloads
    • Metalink checksums, clipboard monitoring, and download grouping

    Where it doesn't

    • Linux-only platform scope
    • Konqueror is the listed browser integration
    • No documented scheduling, concurrent downloads, or video support

More comparisons

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update