-Decompressor -Supports premium accounts -Creation of links and files SHP (proprietary format) -Pause and resume download -Download sites like Megaupload, Rapidshare ...

Sherpa is very easy to use and includes a powerful search engine, is faster than others on the market, including a programmer for shut down the computer after downloads and file sharing.

It is made for new users, accustomed to certain P2P programs can provide an opportunity for direct download.

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Mipony is a handy download manager that has been especially developed to work with free hosting sites such as Megaupload, Rapidshare, Mediafire, Filesend and many others.

All you need to do is copy and paste download links onto Mipony's interface (or simply enable the program's clipboard monitor) and relax while your files are being downloaded, one after the other, as fast as possible. You can also use the program's built-in web browser, or copy and paste a web address and Mipony will scan it in search of download links.

Mipony checks the links before downloading them to make sure they work, waits if necessary and downloads the files to your hard drive. If the file is divided into several parts, Mipony will also let you join them. The program's configuration settings enable you to limit download speed and number of simultaneous downloads so that you don't jam your internet connection. You can also use Mipony with premium accounts on many of the supported hosting sites.

The only thing that annoyed me about Mipony is that the program's window opens on top of everything else every time you copy a download link to the clipboard. It would be nicer if it simply stored all copied links in the background. Other than that, it's simply an excellent download manager!

With Mipony you can manage all your downloads from free hosting sites in a much easier, more comfortable way.

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You can add new downloads from the Internet Download Manager interface, but it's more usual to let it capture links. This means that every time you click on a certain file type (which can be specified through configuration options), Internet Download Manager will handle the download itself rather than letting the browser do the job. Everything is automatic: no changing from one app to another, no copying and pasting, no hassle at all.

Once Internet Download Manager captures the link, you can either download the file right away or save it for later, which can be a good alternative if you need all of your bandwidth for the moment and plan to leave the computer on during the night. Downloads can be classified into custom categories before starting them and can also be resumed if the connection is lost or broken.

Speedy downloads

Internet Download Manager does accelerate downloads, although it all depends on your internet connection. That is, don’t expect to download at the speed of light if you’re still using one of those old-fashioned 56K modems. Internet Download Manager achieves quite satisfying download rates by using multiple thread connections with servers.

Internet Download Manager's configuration menu displays a wide range of functions and tools devoted to handling your downloads, such as checking files for viruses with your own antivirus or limiting the amount of bandwidth used by the program. There’s also support for server authentication and proxy, FTP and HTTPS servers.

Internet Download Manager does its job and does it well, so even if your internet connection speed is faster than usual, you should still give it a try.

Download Internet Download Manager 6.07 Build 12 in Softonic

Do you need it?

Today's browsers actually handle downloads very well, especially Google's Chrome, but if you're looking for a complete dowload manager, Free Download Manager might be for you. The interface is pretty untidy and outdated, with a row of buttons along the top which are not self explanatory. Below are a series of tabs that let you access the various download types.

Functions

There are basic downloads, from links you enter, Flash video downloads from a small selection of popular video sites, torrent downloads and a few more. Each part is relatively easy to use, and you can simply drag download links into Free Download Manager's floating drop box. The application works, but it feels clunky and old fashioned. We would recommend sticking with your browser's download manager alongside a dedicated torrent client if you need it.

Overall

Free Download Manager is an all-in-one app that should cover all your download needs, but fails to impress in terms of usability or looks.

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Luckily you can now use RDesc to manage all your downloads from popular websites such as RapidShare, MegaUpload, MediaFire or DepositFiles. All you need to do is import the download links to RDesc and the program will take care of it while you focus on something else.

RDesc can monitor the Windows Clipboard for download links, and also scan a given webpage in search of relevant links. Either way, RDesc creates a download queue and controls the whole process from start to end: begin the download, manage the download and save the file into the selected folder.

RDesc works great and is fairly easy to use. I especially liked its support for scheduled tasks, as well as the ability to switch the computer off when all downloads are finished. A little more documentation wouldn't hurt the program though.

Tired of browsing hosting sites to download files? Try RDesc and make those sites much more useful and user-friendly.

Download RDesc 2.33 in Softonic

If you're looking for the online app, click here!

4shared desktop has the benefit of looking just like the web app, so users will be totally familiar with the layout. It also uses a fairly standard Windows-style layout, with a traditional file tree so it's easy to organize your files.

The advantage of this desktop version of 4shared is that big uploads tend be smoother. You can't accidentally close this app like you can a browser window either, so if you use 4shared a lot it's pretty useful.

While it's pretty feature rich, 4shared isn't as usable as Dropbox. On the other hand, the basic account gives you much more free storage space. It is also makes you feel more in control than with services like RapidShare or MegaUpload as it's much easier to manage what you are storing online.

There are good sharing options, but again it's just a little over complex compared with DropBox's super simple system. The upload/download frame features information like speed, and elapsed time, but it could really be presented better.

4shared desktop fits well into a Windows environment as a file storage and sharing application, but is over complex and the interface is a bit outdated.

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Just click on the Torrent Turbo Search button and you're instantly presented with a search box and the option of which torrent site you want to search. These include popular torrent finder sites such as isoHunt, BTjunkie, Fenopy, Russia and kickass.

Alternatively, you can also search files on file hosting sites. To do so, click on "Rapidshare & Co" in the appropriate field and type the file name to search. Turbo Torrent Search will index the search results on sites like RapidShare, HotFile and 4Shared.

The only downside of Torrent Turbo Search is that no downloading is possible via the search button. The links provides only refer to the page where the torrent is to be found.

If you're a big torrent downloader and Chrome user, you'll love Torrent Turbo Search.

Download Torrent Turbo Search 3.5.4.5 in Softonic

If you're a massive user of both Rapidshare and Megaupload it's a pain to use two separate administrators to manage your upload and downloads.

In the case of Rapidshare the most annoying thing is that you have to wait before you can click on a file to download it. FreeRapid Downloader offers a more holistic way to manage your downloads and uploads in one convenient application. It lets you download files hosted on Megaupload, Rapidshare, Netload or FileFactory without needing to click a single thing.

FreeRapid Downloader basically works by allowing you to add several links at the same time until they're queued up waiting to go. It can even monitor your clipboard for links that are cut to it and automatically add them to your queue. While this definitely makes managing your downloads easier, it still only downloads files one by one meaning if you've got several files from several file sharing sites, it can be painfully slow.

FreeRapìd Downloader will make your file sharing site downloads easier to manage although not speed them up in any significant way.

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This Java-based tool makes the whole file downloading process much easier, saving you the pain of endless pop-up windows, waiting times and download links cunningly hidden among dozens of Google AdSense boxes. As it is designed for downloading from file sharing sites, JDownloader can import CCF, RSDF and DLC files.

jDownloaderworks best with multiple downloads, as it enables you to create a list of files and download them all at the same time. Other interesting options include the ability to limit bandwidth usage and support for premium user accounts and Capchas.

The only thing that really needs to be improved is jDownloader's user interface. We don't know if it's just the design, or the fact that the program runs on Java, but the truth is that jDownloader is confusing and sometimes counterintuitive.

If you take the time to learn how to use it, jDownloader will prove to be a handy companion for download junkies.

Download jDownloader 0.9851 in Softonic

Sharing large files has always been a problem, but HJSplit helps solve the problem, letting you easily split files into bite sized pieces.

Whether sharing home movies via email or trying to upload big files to services like RapidShare, you may well have suffered the inconvenience of a file that's just too big for what you're trying to do. This is where HJSplit comes in.

HJSplit is a remarkably simple and easy-to-use little application which can split any file you like into parts of a predefined size, so that sharing them or storing them is made easier. It can also join split files back together and compare parts to see if they're the same.

Based in just one small executable (there's no installer for this old school app!), the utility weighs in at a tiny 300kb and doesn't have the world's best design, but it works surprisingly well. HJSplit splits files into chunks of your chosen size, very quickly indeed. Joining files together is just as painless and simple.

HJSplit is a small but very effective little utility which will split and rejoin any file you like.

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Technologically, BitRope is extremely offering and capable a multifunctional download manager, (with support for both protocols HTTP and FTP) that includes manifold features devoted to usability, speed and unfussiness.

Among the basic features you get multiple downloads, resuming interrupted downloads, navigation pane options etc but advanced features are really enhancing the apps capability rich configuration, comprehensive error recovery, task scheduler, and many more.

Moreover, you can even use links stored in you clipboard when downloading. As a download tool, BitRope Download Manager enables fast downloads of flash from the Web, also making possible the setting of portable version to be used on different computers.

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While those sites are useful, they make users suffer by waiting for a counter to countdown before a download link is provided. SkipScreen is a Firefox add-on which aims to automate this process so you don't need to hang around waiting to get your download.

Currently, Skipscreen works well with Rapidshare, Magaupload, Depositfiles, zShare and Sharebee. After installing it in Firefox, you'll never notice it's there until you access one of the download pages. The effect is impressive - the please wait 50 seconds (for example) message appears, then disappears before it's over, replaced by a SkipScreen page while your download starts automatically.

SkipScreen works pretty well on all the sites we tested. On Megaupload you still have to type in a code to get the process started, but after that no more clicks are necessary. Overall, SkipScreen makes using these kinds of sites a lot easier, and less irritating.

If using file share sites is your thing, SkipScreen will really make a difference to your downloading.

Download SkipScreen Firefox add-on 0.5.7 in Softonic

Luckily you can now use RDesc Portable to manage all your downloads from popular websites such as RapidShare, MegaUpload, MediaFire or DepositFiles. All you need to do is import the download links to RDesc Portable and the program will take care of it while you focus on something else. And it doesn't even require installation!

RDesc Portable can monitor the Windows Clipboard for download links, and also scan a given webpage in search of relevant links. Either way, RDesc creates a download queue and controls the whole process from start to end: begin the download, manage the download and save the file into the selected folder.

RDesc Portable works great and is fairly easy to use. I especially liked its support for scheduled tasks, as well as the ability to switch the computer off when all downloads are finished. A little more documentation wouldn't hurt the program though.

Tired of browsing hosting sites to download files? Try RDesc Portable and make those sites much more useful and user-friendly.

Download RDesc Portable 2.32 in Softonic

RDown Rapidshare Downloader is a simple Firefox add-on where you can paste Rapidshare links and have the browser download them for you overnight – or during a period of time when you won't be working on the computer.

You don't need to configure anything to use RDown Rapidshare Downloader; simply install it as any other Firefox add-on and it'll display a small icon on the bottom right corner of the browser's interface. You can then open it from there, paste as many links as you want and RDown Rapidshare Downloader will process them one by one.

RDown Rapidshare Downloader is simple and efficient. It works unobtrusively in the background, and saves the link list – like a clipboard. On the downside, it doesn't support Premium accounts, nor does it work with the latest version of Firefox, 3.6.

With RDown Rapidshare Downloader you can easily set a bunch of Rapidshare links to be downloaded automatically when you're not using the PC.

Download RDown Rapidshare Downloader 0.6.0 in Softonic

Installation isn't necessary, just extract the .ZIP file and execute. The interface is a little old fashioned, and not brilliantly translated, but the tabbed menus are clear enough. Paste a link into the Video menu, check it, then you can download the source.

If you copy a Rapidshare link into you clipboard, you can then paste it directly into the Download task window. When you've collected the links you want to downloaded, click start, and off it goes. Sometimes it takes a while to start downloading, and unfortunately there is little indication of what's happening while you wait.

Arles Download Manager is useful for downloading multiple links, as you can run it, and leave it to get on with the job. It doesn't have completion pop up alerts, but it's easy to open up. It's also not a very hungry application so isn't a problem to have running in the background.

Arles Download Manager does it's job, but it's interface is a little awkward and poorly explained.

Download Arles Download Manager 1.8.7.1 in Softonic

Do you use jDownloader to download from free file sharing sites like Rapidshare, and Megaupload? Well, now you can use this excellent download manager on any computer, without leaving any traces behind, thanks to jDownloader Portable!

Like its desktop version, jDownloader Portable is a Java-based tool makes the whole file downloading process much easier for those sites, saving you the pain of going through endless pop-up windows, waiting times and download links cunningly hidden among dozens of Google AdSense boxes.

jDownloader Portable works best with multiple downloads, as it enables you to create a list of files and then download them all at the same time. Other interesting options include the possibility of limiting bandwidth usage and support for premium user accounts. Unlike other download managers though, jDownloader Portable doesn't have support for resuming downloads.

That said, the only thing that really needs to be improved is its user interface. I don't know if it's just the design, or the fact that the program runs on Java, but the truth is that jDownloader is confusing and sometimes counter intuitive.

If you take the time to learn how to use it, jDownloader Portable will prove to be a handy companion for download junkies.

Download jDownloader Portable 0.9421 in Softonic

If you frequently download files from free hosting services, Tucan can make your life easier.

Tucan is a simple, handy manager that helps you handle all your downloads from services such as RapidShare, MegaUpload, 4Shared, Mediafire and more. All you need to do is add the links for the files you want to download and let Tucan take care of the job while you focus on something else.

Tucan checks links before starting to download the files to make sure they work and are valid. The program lets you limit the maximum download speed and the number of simultaneous downloads. Tucan can also work with Premium accounts.

The only thing Tucan can't handle is waiting times, which means that if you're using one of those free download links that make you wait for a few seconds before actually starting the download, Tucan won't be able to avoid it.

Tucan is an easy-to-use, handy little app that lets you manage your downloads from a bunch of popular free hosting services.

Download Tucan 0.3.9 Alpha in Softonic