cURL is a computer software project providing a library and command-line tool for transferring data using various protocols. The cURL project produces two products, libcurl and cURL. Developed by Daniel Stenberg
License: Open Source
Axel tries to accelerate HTTP/FTP downloading process by using multiple connections for one file. It can use multiple mirrors for a download. Axel has no dependencies and is lightweight, so it might be useful as a wget clone on byte-critical systems. Developed by http://wilmer.gaa.st/main.php/axel.html
License: Open Source
cURL is a powerful tool for transferring data with a variety of protocols and offers extensive customization options, making it suitable for complex tasks. In contrast, axel is optimized for fast downloading, leveraging multiple connections but lacks the extensive features and protocol support of cURL.