Software Alternatives & Startups

aria2 VS ShellNewHandler

Compare aria2 VS ShellNewHandler and see what are their differences

aria2

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

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
ShellNewHandler

SourceForge.net: ShellNewHandler details page

Rating
0 reviews
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, aria2 seems to be a lot more popular than ShellNewHandler. While we know about 45 links to aria2, we've tracked only 2 mentions of ShellNewHandler.

social mentions
45 vs 2
Torrents popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

aria2
ShellNewHandler
Website aria2.github.io sourceforge.net
Pricing
Open source
—
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

aria2 7 features
ShellNewHandler 0 features
  • Lightweight
    aria2 is a lightweight multi-protocol and multi-source command-line download utility that consumes minimal system resources.
  • Versatile Protocol Support
    aria2 supports multiple protocols including HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SFTP, BitTorrent, and Metalink, making it extremely versatile.
  • Parallel Downloading
    Can download a file from multiple sources/protocols and split it into multiple streams, significantly increasing download speeds.
  • Command-line Interface
    Offers robust command-line interface, enabling advanced scripting and automation capabilities.
  • Low Dependency Requirement
    Requires minimal dependencies, making it easier to install and integrate into different environments.
  • Pause and Resume
    Supports pausing and resuming downloads, which is useful for handling large downloads and intermittent connectivity issues.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source, aria2 allows developers to contribute to its development and adapt it for custom use cases.

Possible disadvantages

  • Lack of GUI
    Primarily command-line based, which may be a barrier for users who prefer graphical user interfaces.
  • Complex Configuration
    Can be complex to configure optimally, requiring a good understanding of command-line options and network protocols.
  • Limited Community Support
    The user and developer community is smaller compared to more popular download managers, potentially leading to fewer resources and slower issue resolution.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    Users unfamiliar with command-line tools may find it challenging to use and master.
  • No Integrated Search
    Does not support integrated search functionalities for torrents and other media, necessitating separate tools for finding content.

No features have been listed yet.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

aria2
ShellNewHandler

Overall verdict

  • Overall, aria2 is an excellent tool for users who need a powerful and flexible command-line download manager. Its ability to handle multiple protocols and sources makes it stand out as a robust solution for advanced downloading needs.

Why this product is good

  • aria2 is considered a highly efficient and versatile download tool due to its support for multiple download protocols including HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, BitTorrent, and Metalink. It's particularly appreciated for its lightweight nature, command-line interface, and ability to download files from multiple sources to maximize download speeds. Additionally, it's open-source and actively maintained, which allows for community contributions and enhancements.

Recommended for

    aria2 is ideal for power users, software developers, and system administrators who need a reliable and scriptable command-line tool for batch downloading large files, handling mirror downloads, or managing download tasks that span multiple protocols.

Overall verdict

  • ShellNewHandler is a niche, lightweight utility hosted on SourceForge designed to give users more control over the Windows 'New' context menu (the ShellNew menu). It can be considered good for its specific narrow use case, but it is an older, minimally maintained tool that may not suit all users, especially those on modern Windows versions.

Why this product is good

  • Provides direct control over customizing the Windows right-click 'New' menu, allowing users to add or remove file type entries
  • Lightweight and free, without bundled bloatware typical of some other free utilities
  • Simple and focused in scope, making it easy to understand for its specific purpose
  • Open distribution via SourceForge allows transparency and no-cost access

Recommended for

  • Power users who want to declutter or customize the Windows New context menu
  • IT administrators managing standardized desktop environments across multiple machines
  • Users comfortable with older utility-style tools and Windows registry-related tweaks
  • Not recommended for casual users seeking modern, actively supported software with regular updates

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
aria2
ShellNewHandler
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using aria2 and ShellNewHandler. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

aria2 no reviews yet
ShellNewHandler no reviews yet
  • 10 Best Free IDM Alternatives to Try in 2022
    thetechtian.com · Mar 2022

    aria2 is a command-line download advantage for those who love and appreciate the CLI. Supports FTP, SFTP, HTTP/HTTPS, Metalink and BitTorrent. You can download a file, with aria2 from multiple sources to maximize its...

  • Best Alternatives to qBittorrent 2022

    Aria2 runs on the command-line interface making it also one of the most advanced tools out there, although very easy to learn even if you don’t consider yourself technically-inclined. With no GUI and just a clean,...

  • Top 10 Free IDM Alternatives You Can Use
    beebom.com · Dec 2021

    aria2 also doubles as a full-fledged BitTorrent client with features like DHT, PEX, encryption, magnet URI, web-seeding, selective downloads, local peer discovery, and UDP tracker. At just 4MB, aria2 is a lightweight...

We have no reviews of ShellNewHandler yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

aria2 45 mentions
ShellNewHandler 2 mentions
  • Making big downloads resumable in Firefox
    I like using the aria2[0] download utility - I don't think I've downloaded anything bigger than a dozen megabytes through a web browser for the last several years, and this method allows me more protocols, multiple connections, and of... - Source: Hacker News / 26 days ago
  • Faster and More Reliable Hugging Face Downloads Using aria2 and GNU Parallel
    Aria2: A lightweight multi-protocol & multi-source command-line download utility. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Bypass download limits?
    For sites with limited download speeds I usually use aria2 (via terminal) since it supports segmented/multi connection downloading. But I guess this wouldn't work with 1fichier, since with these sites you usually don't get direct link to... Source: almost 3 years ago

View more

  • I recently got libreoffice, but now the new option in right click looks like a mess. Can someone help me get rid of them please?
    Use Shell New Handler. Run the portable app and simply untick the items you don't want to appear in your new context menu. Source: about 4 years ago
  • This menu should be easy to add/remove programs to... Who is really creating Access Databases from this menu often enough to keep it here? (Not me!) Is there an easy way to edit this?
    I've always used ShellNewHandler for this. It's a really simple portable utility that allows you to remove most of the items from that menu. Tested it out on Windows 11 and it's still compatible. Source: over 5 years ago

Alternatives to aria2 and ShellNewHandler

When comparing aria2 and ShellNewHandler, you can also consider the following products.