So, in this post, I am going to compare three of the best download managers available on the play store, FDM, ADM, and 1DM. I will also suggest which one you should be going for and why. So, without much further ado, let’s get straight to our topic.
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Download managers: What are they for?
A download manager is an app that is responsible for managing, optimizing, and speeding up the download of files. With a good manager, we can perfectly handle several simultaneous downloads without problem, resume failed downloads, avoid cuts, improve download speed, define a maximum number of threads per download, and ultimately, enhance the download of files on our device.
Do Download Managers Really Increase The Speed?
Well, in layman’s terms, download managers do really make a difference in the duration of the download. But do they really increase download speed? They actually don’t. What download managers do is that they make several threads for files that you want to download. This increases the utilization of bandwidth and makes the download seem faster. Browsers lack this feature and so the downloads are not very fast there.
Threads are basically the segments of the file that will be downloaded parallel and will be integrated to make a whole file. So, anytime you download a file of let’s say, 1GB, many threads each of a few MBs will be created and downloaded at a time. And when all of them are downloaded, they will be integrated to make a whole of 1GB, which you wanted.
Ads And Pricings
FDM: It is the Free Download Manager, which is completely free from any kind of ads. The app is completely free in the play store and doesn’t require any subscription to use.
ADM: It is an Advanced Download Manager, is also free on the play store. But while using it, I noticed ads on the bottom part of the homepage which refreshed every time you open it. But it is small and won’t interfere with the usage.
1DM: It is 1 Download Manager, also has the same kind of ad placement as the ADM, and it refreshes as well. You can download the 1DM application for free on the play store.
Both ADM and 1DM have pro versions available which will get rid of all the ads as well as provide additional features which are missing in the free versions.
So, FDM has an upper hand in this segment as it is completely ad-free and requires no payment from you.
Browser Integration
Browser integration means that the download managers will have an in-built browser so that they can directly download the file in the download manager. In most cases, users have to use their browser and copy-paste the download link in the download manager. Having an integrated browser will solve that hassle as you will be to browse and download from the integrated browser itself.
All of the three download managers, FDM, ADM, and 1DM have integrated browsers. So, you can directly browse and download the files from its browser easily without switching between different apps.
So, this section will be a tie.
Simultaneous Downloads And Threads
Most of the download managers you will find will have simultaneous downloads available, but the number of threads or downloads may differ.
- FDM supports unlimited simultaneous downloads and there is no limit for threads per download as well.
- ADM has support for up to 5 downloads simultaneously and 16 threads per download.
- 1DM supports up to 10 simultaneous downloads and has up to 16 threads per download. On the pro version, this limit will extend to 30 simultaneous downloads and up to 32 threads.
But, I will recommend you guys not to mess up with the settings and stick to the default ones. Changing these can affect the download speeds.
Again, FDM wins in this section as it comes with unlimited simultaneous downloads and threads.
Why Sometimes You Have To Download Files From The Beginning?
Most people must have wondered why sometimes they have to start the downloads from the beginning even after using a download manager. But let me bust this myth for you. All three download managers I have been discussing have the feature to pause and resume downloads. However, sometimes, the source server doesn’t allow pause and resume for downloads and thus you have to start the downloads from the beginning.
Some Useful Features In FDM, ADM, and 1DM
All of the three download managers have tons of features integrated, but I am only going to mention only the prominent ones, to save your time. So, here are some of the features I found worth mentioning.
1. Download only over wifi: This feature, as you can read, will enable you to download files only when the device is connected to wifi. This can come in handy as sometimes we inadvertently turn off mobile data instead of on wifi. All three apps have this feature.
2. Auto-resume Downloads: This will enable the download manager to automatically retry downloading a file in case of any connection cut or failure. You won’t have to check and resume each one of the downloads, it’ll do the work for you. Again, I found it present in all three apps, so it’s quite useful.
3. Auto-stop downloads when the battery is low: You can customize and set a battery percentage, below which the download manager will stop all the downloads to save your battery from dying. All of the three apps have this feature, again.
Scheduling File Downloads
We all know internet speeds are the fastest during the night, because of less traffic in the network. So, if you are someone who downloads movies, software, or downloads large files, then this feature can prove to be a lifesaver for you. You can schedule when your files will start downloading and when they should stop. You just have to head over to the settings and set the timings and it will do the job for you.
FDM and ADM provide this impressive feature, but 1DM only has it on its paid version, which can be a deal-breaker for many people. So, 1DM misses out on this and the other two apps wake the lead.
All About The Download Modes
Download managers can have different download modes for different purposes. But among the three apps, only FDM has the feature to set different downloads, the other two lack behind.
FDM has three modes, fast mode, moderate mode, and slow mode. Here are some of the details
Fast Mode: Unlimited download speed with 6 simultaneous downloads support.
Moderate Mode: 2.1 MB/s with 3 simultaneous downloads support.
Slow Mode: 260 KB/s with 2 simultaneous downloads support.
Moderate and slow modes can be helpful when you want to download a file but also watch videos or use Instagram in the background. So, this is limit and usage and you won’t face buffering while playing youtube in the background. If you are not planning to use anything else, then you can choose the fast mode to unleash the fastest possible speed.
Some servers don’t allow pauses and resumes of files, as I have already mentioned in the beginning. So, what if you want to play youtube in HD in the background, but also don’t want the downloads to stop? The slow mode won’t work very effectively, so, there’s a mode in the FDM called the snail mode. Here, your download may seem paused but in reality, it is being downloaded at a really slow pace, making the bandwidth available for you to stream HD content in the background.
Battery Usage And Optimization
Some phone brands have optimized their OS to limit the amount of battery an app can have, to save the battery and make it last longer. So, you have to first remove the download managers from the ‘Optimization’ list so that it won’t be forced shut in the background and keep your files downloading.
As I tried these applications, I found all three apps asked me to remove the app from optimization. However, as previously mentioned, ADM and 1DM have ads in their interfaces that keep refreshing from time to time. So, it consumes some amount of battery as well and You can notice that these two apps will use more battery than FDM in the long run. This gives FDM again an advantage over the other two.
Types of Files Supported To Download
Before anything else, I would like to mention that you cant download any video from youtube. It’s already mentioned in the app description on the play store as well. This is because youtube prevents this, calling it a form of ‘Piracy’. As these apps are available on Google’s play store if google finds out that the app is violating the term and conditions then Google can remove the app from its Play Store.
All three download managers come with an integrated browser from which you can easily browse and download any type of file you want, even torrents. All three apps can also work as torrent clients which is an additional advantage. You can also download files from Google Drive using it as well. I faced no issues while downloading any file format as I tested on these apps.
You Can Change Download URL
Sometimes, you might have noticed your downloads are canceled and it says ‘Download link expired’. This happens because some sources have their download link valid for a short period, like 24hrs. Beyond that, you won’t be able to download the file. But, with download managers, you will be saved from that hassle.
All three download managers support the option to update the download URL. So, the next time your download is stopped, you can simply generate a new download link from the website and paste it in the download manager’s option to change the URL to resume the download. You won’t have to download the whole file from the beginning again. This can save a lot of your time and data.
Which download Manager I Personally Use?
As you can see, FDM has more advantages over the other two apps, and I personally Prefer that too. Easy interface, no ads, different download modes, unlimited simultaneous downloads and threads, and easy scheduling, it’s a completely feature-packed and an all-around download manager in my opinion.
You can try the other two, ADM and 1DM as well, but FDM is just way ahead in the race. So, I’d recommend you to use FDM on your devices and make downloads easier.
FAQs
Are download managers worth it?
Yes. They do make a difference and are worth using.
Which download manager is fast among 1DM and FDM?
I found FDM to be faster than 1DM because of the absence of ads.
