I download a lot of big files. Constantly pulling down HD-quality videocasts, Windows service packs, and Linux distributions can freeze even the best of browsers. In the past, I’ve recommended LeechGet, but the limitations of the free version left me wanting more.

Enter Free Download Manager. As the painfully obvious name suggests, it is a free utility for managing and accelerating your downloads. FDM has an excellent feature set to please the most demanding of downloaders. With two versions to choose from, you can find the one that is best for you. The full version includes support for bittorrent, downloading flash videos, file sharing and more. The Lite version includes just the download manager, but you can always add the other features later as they are available as plug-ins. I use the Lite version since I don’t need the bittorrent or video features.

There isn’t anything revolutionary here, but FDM works well and is easy to use. It will monitor your browser, waiting for you to download files and take over from there. You can disable monitoring and just use FDM when desired by choosing the option from the right-click menu in the browser.

It can also help keep your files organized by placing the download in a subfolder based on the detected file type. For example, if it detects you are downloading an EXE file, it will prompt you to place it in a Software subfolder. This can sometimes be hit or miss, but you can always change the selection when initiating the download. As someone whose desktop is always cluttered with downloads, I find the organizational feature is a real plus.

If you’re looking for a great free way to speed up and manage your downloads, give Free Download Manager a try. It’s lightweight, spyware and junkware free, easy to use and it doesn’t cost a dime. Hard to beat that combination.

Get Free Download Manager from their website: http://www.freedownloadmanager.org