aria2 vs Wget : Which is Better?

aria2

aria2 is a lightweight multi-protocol & multi-source command-line download utility. It supports HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, SFTP, BitTorrent and Metalink, etc.

License: Open Source

Categories: File Management File Sharing OS & Utilities

Apps available for Mac OS X Windows Linux Android Xfce

Wget

Wget is a free utility for non-interactive download of files from the Web. Developed by GNU Project

License: Open Source

Categories: File Sharing OS & Utilities

Apps available for Mac OS X Windows Linux BSD

aria2 VS Wget

Wget is a straightforward command-line tool primarily focused on downloading files and mirroring websites, while aria2 offers advanced features like multi-threaded downloads and support for BitTorrent. Users seeking simple downloads may prefer Wget, while those needing more control and speed should consider aria2.

aria2

Pros:

Supports multi-threaded downloads
Can download files from multiple sources simultaneously
Built-in support for BitTorrent
Can download files from HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SFTP, and BitTorrent
Allows for segmented downloading
Can limit bandwidth usage
Advanced configuration options for more control
Supports Metalink downloads
Has a JSON-RPC interface for remote control
Can be integrated with other applications easily

Cons:

More complex command syntax compared to Wget
Higher resource usage in certain scenarios
Not as widely available by default on some systems

Wget

Pros:

Supports HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP protocols
Can download files recursively
Resumes interrupted downloads
Supports downloading via proxies
Can mirror websites
Highly customizable via command line options
Supports FTP upload
Can limit download speed
Built-in support for robots.txt
Can convert links to be suitable for local viewing

Cons:

No built-in support for multi-threaded downloads
Limited support for modern web protocols (e.g., WebDAV)
User interface is purely command-line based, which may be daunting for some users