AriaNg vs WebUI-Aria2
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A web interface for aria2, the command-line download tool, that runs in a browser.
Open source · MIT
A web interface for controlling the aria2 file downloader from your browser.
The short answer
Choose AriaNg if you need…
- People who already run aria2 and want a visual control panel in a browser
- Users who want to manage downloads from a phone or another computer on their network
- Anyone who wants a local, all-in-one HTML file to open without setting up a server
- Users who want a dark theme and multi-language interface for aria2
Choose WebUI-Aria2 if you need…
- People who already use aria2 and want a visual way to manage downloads
- Users running aria2 on a home server or Raspberry Pi who want a web dashboard
- Anyone who finds the aria2 command line more power than they need
Side-by-side
| AriaNg | WebUI-Aria2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | App | App |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 13.3k | 10.4k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Beginner |
| How you get it | Download the app | Clone and build from source |
| Main language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 32 days ago | 3 years ago |
What each one is
AriaNg
AriaNg is a web-based front end for aria2, a download manager that runs without a visible window. It gives you a browser page with lists, progress, and controls for managing downloads. It is written in plain HTML and JavaScript, so it needs no build step or runtime to use the prebuilt files.
WebUI-Aria2
WebUI-Aria2 is a browser-based dashboard for aria2, a command-line file downloader. Instead of typing commands, you can add, pause and monitor downloads through a graphical page. It connects to a running aria2 process over its RPC interface, locally or on a remote machine.
Best for
AriaNg
- People who already run aria2 and want a visual control panel in a browser
- Users who want to manage downloads from a phone or another computer on their network
- Anyone who wants a local, all-in-one HTML file to open without setting up a server
- Users who want a dark theme and multi-language interface for aria2
WebUI-Aria2
- People who already use aria2 and want a visual way to manage downloads
- Users running aria2 on a home server or Raspberry Pi who want a web dashboard
- Anyone who finds the aria2 command line more power than they need
Strengths
AriaNg
- Plain HTML and JavaScript with no runtime needed, so deployment is simple
- Responsive layout that works on desktop and mobile browsers
- Long-running project with a large user base and MIT license
WebUI-Aria2
- Simple setup: the README says there are no build or installation scripts for the interface itself
- Works offline after the first visit when hosted online, via Progressive Web App support
- Open source under the MIT license
Not ideal for
AriaNg
- People who have never used aria2: AriaNg is a front end and needs an aria2 RPC server behind it
- Users who only want a simple one-click downloader with no server setup
- Users who need the standard version opened straight from the file system, since the README says its language files load asynchronously and it should be served from a web server or use the all-in-one version
WebUI-Aria2
- People who have never used aria2: the README says you must install and start aria2 first, and the interface does not replace it
- Users who want a standalone desktop downloader with no separate background process
Trade-offs
AriaNg
- Requires a separately running aria2 instance, so it adds a second piece to set up
- The standard version must be served by a web server or used through the all-in-one build because of how it loads language files
WebUI-Aria2
- Depends entirely on aria2 running with RPC enabled; it is not a standalone downloader
- The last push in the metadata is from April 2024, so maintenance activity is unclear
- Exposing RPC to the network (rpc-listen-all) needs care with security, which the README does not discuss in depth
Getting started
AriaNg
Download the all-in-one release from the releases page, unzip it, then open the single HTML file in your browser
git clone https://github.com/mayswind/AriaNgWebUI-Aria2
Start aria2 with RPC enabled
aria2c --enable-rpc --rpc-listen-allRun the bundled Node.js server (optional, from project folder)
node node-server.jsFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between AriaNg and WebUI-Aria2?
AriaNg: A web interface for aria2, the command-line download tool, that runs in a browser. WebUI-Aria2: A web interface for controlling the aria2 file downloader from your browser. AriaNg suits people who already run aria2 and want a visual control panel in a browser, while WebUI-Aria2 suits people who already use aria2 and want a visual way to manage downloads.
Are AriaNg and WebUI-Aria2 free?
AriaNg: Free and open source. WebUI-Aria2: Free and open source.
Is AriaNg or WebUI-Aria2 more popular?
AriaNg has more GitHub stars (13.3k) than WebUI-Aria2 (10.4k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to AriaNg and WebUI-Aria2?
Other options people compare them with include NextChat.
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.