Browser download extensions are slow, risky, and break constantly. FileGrab replaces them with a server-side scanning tool that works in any browser, on any device, with zero installs and zero permissions.
Chrome download extensions looked like a good idea. In practice, they create as many problems as they solve.
Most Chrome download extensions request access to "all your data on all websites." That's a significant privacy and security risk — especially from extensions with small install bases or infrequent updates.
Google's switch to Manifest V3 for extensions broke many popular download helpers. Extensions that haven't updated are already non-functional, and more will break as Manifest V2 support ends.
Every active extension adds overhead to your browser. Download extensions that monitor network requests are particularly heavy, running background scripts on every page you visit.
Most download extensions only work in one browser. Switch to Firefox or Safari, or pick up your phone, and you're back to right-clicking one file at a time.
Popular extensions get removed from the Chrome Web Store without warning. Users are left with a broken tool and no migration path.
Chrome extensions simply don't work on Android or iOS. Mobile browsers don't support the extension ecosystem at all.
FileGrab does everything a Chrome download extension does — without any of the downsides.
No install, no permissions. Just open a new browser tab and go to filegrab.io — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, or any other browser.
Copy the URL of the page you want to download files from and paste it into FileGrab. Our servers fetch the page and detect all downloadable content.
Pick individual files or select all and grab a ZIP. FileGrab packages everything server-side — no browser download queue to manage.
IDM is one of the most-used download managers on Windows. Here's how FileGrab stacks up.
| Feature | IDM | FileGrab |
|---|---|---|
| Install required | Yes — Windows only | No — browser-based |
| Works on Mac / Linux | No | Yes |
| Works on mobile | No | Yes — iOS & Android |
| Scan page for all files | Limited (via extension) | Full server-side scan |
| Bulk ZIP download | No | Yes (Pro) |
| Cost | Paid license (~$25) | Free tier + affordable Pro |
| Browser integration | Extension (Manifest V2) | No extension needed |
| Domain-wide crawling | No | Yes (Pro) |
Download Master is a Chrome extension designed to detect and batch-download files from a webpage. FileGrab delivers the same outcome — without the extension.
Also comparing for Firefox? Read our Firefox download manager alternative guide.
FileGrab is browser-agnostic by design. Because scanning happens on our servers — not in your browser — the browser you use is irrelevant.
Chrome
Firefox
Safari
Edge
Brave
Mobile
Need to download files on Windows without a download manager app? See why FileGrab replaces desktop download managers on Windows.
Nothing. FileGrab is a web application. You open filegrab.io in any browser, paste a URL, and get results. No extension, no desktop app, no permissions granted to a third-party plugin.
Yes — FileGrab works in every modern browser including Firefox, Safari, Edge, Brave, Opera, and any mobile browser. Because it's server-side, the browser you use is irrelevant to how FileGrab scans pages.
Many Chrome download extensions have been removed from the Chrome Web Store, abandoned by developers, or broken by Google's Manifest V3 extension platform changes. FileGrab is a maintained, browser-independent alternative that won't disappear.
For most web-based file downloading tasks, yes. FileGrab handles bulk URL scanning, file filtering, and ZIP packaging entirely server-side. It doesn't integrate with a download accelerator for resumable downloads of very large files, but for the vast majority of use cases — grabbing files from websites — FileGrab is faster and simpler.
FileGrab never reads your browser history, cookies, or open tabs. You submit a URL explicitly — FileGrab only ever sees what you give it. Compare that to browser extensions, which frequently request 'read and change all your data on all websites' permissions.
20 free scans. No install. No permissions. Works in any browser right now.