diff --git a/src/cli.rs b/src/cli.rs
index 3cf85ad..6ba944b 100644
--- a/src/cli.rs
+++ b/src/cli.rs
@@ -996,6 +996,31 @@ pub enum BackupCommands {
         #[arg(long)]
         description: Option<String>,
     },
+    /// Download a backup archive
+    Download {
+        #[command(subcommand)]
+        command: BackupDownloadCommands,
+    },
+}
+
+#[derive(Subcommand)]
+pub enum BackupDownloadCommands {
+    /// Create a backup download request
+    Create {
+        /// Site ID
+        site_id: String,
+        /// Backup ID
+        backup_id: String,
+    },
+    /// Check backup download status
+    Status {
+        /// Site ID
+        site_id: String,
+        /// Backup ID
+        backup_id: String,
+        /// Download ID
+        download_id: String,
+    },
 }
 
 #[derive(Subcommand)]
diff --git a/src/commands/backup.rs b/src/commands/backup.rs
index dd66a0c..f7274bd 100644
--- a/src/commands/backup.rs
+++ b/src/commands/backup.rs
@@ -178,3 +178,94 @@ pub fn create(
 
     Ok(())
 }
+
+pub fn download_create(
+    client: &ApiClient,
+    site_id: &str,
+    backup_id: &str,
+    format: OutputFormat,
+) -> Result<(), ApiError> {
+    let response: Value = client.post_empty(&format!(
+        "/api/v1/vector/sites/{}/backups/{}/downloads",
+        site_id, backup_id
+    ))?;
+
+    if format == OutputFormat::Json {
+        print_json(&response);
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    let data = &response["data"];
+    print_message(&format!(
+        "Download requested: {} ({})",
+        data["id"].as_str().unwrap_or("-"),
+        data["status"].as_str().unwrap_or("-")
+    ));
+    print_message("\nCheck status with:");
+    print_message(&format!(
+        "  vector backup download status {} {} {}",
+        site_id,
+        backup_id,
+        data["id"].as_str().unwrap_or("DOWNLOAD_ID")
+    ));
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+pub fn download_status(
+    client: &ApiClient,
+    site_id: &str,
+    backup_id: &str,
+    download_id: &str,
+    format: OutputFormat,
+) -> Result<(), ApiError> {
+    let response: Value = client.get(&format!(
+        "/api/v1/vector/sites/{}/backups/{}/downloads/{}",
+        site_id, backup_id, download_id
+    ))?;
+
+    if format == OutputFormat::Json {
+        print_json(&response);
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    let data = &response["data"];
+    print_key_value(vec![
+        ("ID", data["id"].as_str().unwrap_or("-").to_string()),
+        ("Status", data["status"].as_str().unwrap_or("-").to_string()),
+        (
+            "Size (bytes)",
+            format_option(&data["size_bytes"].as_u64().map(|v| v.to_string())),
+        ),
+        (
+            "Duration (ms)",
+            format_option(&data["duration_ms"].as_u64().map(|v| v.to_string())),
+        ),
+        (
+            "Error",
+            format_option(&data["error_message"].as_str().map(String::from)),
+        ),
+        (
+            "Download URL",
+            format_option(&data["download_url"].as_str().map(String::from)),
+        ),
+        (
+            "Download Expires",
+            format_option(&data["download_expires_at"].as_str().map(String::from)),
+        ),
+        (
+            "Started At",
+            format_option(&data["started_at"].as_str().map(String::from)),
+        ),
+        (
+            "Completed At",
+            format_option(&data["completed_at"].as_str().map(String::from)),
+        ),
+        (
+            "Created At",
+            format_option(&data["created_at"].as_str().map(String::from)),
+        ),
+    ]);
+
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 40c6512..36670e9 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ use std::process;
 use api::{ApiClient, ApiError, EXIT_SUCCESS};
 use cli::{
     AccountApiKeyCommands, AccountCommands, AccountSecretCommands, AccountSshKeyCommands,
-    AuthCommands, BackupCommands, Cli, Commands, DbCommands, DbExportCommands,
-    DbImportSessionCommands, DeployCommands, EnvCommands, EnvDbCommands,
+    AuthCommands, BackupCommands, BackupDownloadCommands, Cli, Commands, DbCommands,
+    DbExportCommands, DbImportSessionCommands, DeployCommands, EnvCommands, EnvDbCommands,
     EnvDbImportSessionCommands, EnvSecretCommands, EventCommands, McpCommands, RestoreCommands,
     SiteCommands, SiteSshKeyCommands, SslCommands, WafAllowedReferrerCommands,
     WafBlockedIpCommands, WafBlockedReferrerCommands, WafCommands, WafRateLimitCommands,
@@ -634,6 +634,24 @@ fn run_backup(command: BackupCommands, format: OutputFormat) -> Result<(), ApiEr
             scope,
             description,
         } => backup::create(&client, &site_id, &scope, description, format),
+        BackupCommands::Download { command } => run_backup_download(&client, command, format),
+    }
+}
+
+fn run_backup_download(
+    client: &ApiClient,
+    command: BackupDownloadCommands,
+    format: OutputFormat,
+) -> Result<(), ApiError> {
+    match command {
+        BackupDownloadCommands::Create { site_id, backup_id } => {
+            backup::download_create(client, &site_id, &backup_id, format)
+        }
+        BackupDownloadCommands::Status {
+            site_id,
+            backup_id,
+            download_id,
+        } => backup::download_status(client, &site_id, &backup_id, &download_id, format),
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/cli.rs b/tests/cli.rs
index 4e5fe83..ad10b5b 100644
--- a/tests/cli.rs
+++ b/tests/cli.rs
@@ -176,6 +176,50 @@ fn test_backup_help() {
     assert!(stdout.contains("list"));
     assert!(stdout.contains("show"));
     assert!(stdout.contains("create"));
+    assert!(stdout.contains("download"));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_backup_download_help() {
+    let output = vector_cmd()
+        .args(["backup", "download", "--help"])
+        .output()
+        .expect("Failed to run");
+    assert!(output.status.success());
+    let stdout = String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout);
+    assert!(stdout.contains("create"));
+    assert!(stdout.contains("status"));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_backup_download_create_requires_auth() {
+    let output = vector_cmd()
+        .args(["backup", "download", "create", "test-site", "test-backup"])
+        .env("VECTOR_CONFIG_DIR", &nonexistent_config_dir())
+        .env_remove("VECTOR_API_KEY")
+        .output()
+        .expect("Failed to run");
+    assert!(!output.status.success());
+    assert_eq!(output.status.code(), Some(2)); // EXIT_AUTH_ERROR
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_backup_download_status_requires_auth() {
+    let output = vector_cmd()
+        .args([
+            "backup",
+            "download",
+            "status",
+            "test-site",
+            "test-backup",
+            "test-download",
+        ])
+        .env("VECTOR_CONFIG_DIR", &nonexistent_config_dir())
+        .env_remove("VECTOR_API_KEY")
+        .output()
+        .expect("Failed to run");
+    assert!(!output.status.success());
+    assert_eq!(output.status.code(), Some(2)); // EXIT_AUTH_ERROR
 }
 
 #[test]