Overview
pyLoad is a Python-based download manager with a web UI that handles direct HTTP links, one-click hosters (Rapidshare-style), and YouTube-dl-compatible sources. It supports parallel downloads, queuing, plugin-based hoster support, and scheduled download windows. A REST API allows remote management from scripts or mobile apps. It can be deployed via Docker or installed directly on Linux/Windows with Python.
Where it falls short of Zapier
- Plugin ecosystem for one-click hosters is aging; many premium hoster plugins are broken or unmaintained
- No built-in torrent client — only handles direct and hoster-based downloads
- Web UI is functional but dated compared to modern download manager frontends
- Python 3 migration improved stability but the codebase has accumulated technical debt
We list the gaps honestly so you can decide if the trade-off is worth owning your data.
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