9 best Mac and PC video transcoding converters: Free and paid

Bennett is a Product Marketing Lead at Vimeo.
Bennett Marano
Vimeo transcoding converters

Video files are useful for a variety of projects, from social media ads to long-form presentations. Each platform supports different file formats, so businesses use software for converting video formats like Movavi and HandBrake. These tools transcode video files into formats like MP4, AVI, and MOV, making them compatible with all the platforms a business requires. 

The best video transcoding converters support several output file formats and offer additional features like batch conversions or light video editing tools. This article will showcase eight great video converters available and explain what sets them apart.

Our top 9 software to convert video files

Below are the eight best video converters for a variety of use cases, from quick, free conversions to high-speed batch transcoding. Whatever your project, one of these video converters will suit your needs.

After you’ve converted your video files into the format you need, you can also try Vimeo’s video compression tool to optimize them for any platform. A compressor reduces your video file size while maintaining video quality, making every video load faster.

Compress your video now

1. Vimeo

Vimeo transcoding converter

Vimeo defines transcoding as the process of changing a video file into a different format or resolution, making it easier to play on different devices or platforms. It's commonly done to shrink the file size or to ensure compatibility with devices that might not support specific codecs.

When you upload a video to Vimeo, it is automatically re-encoded into different formats and resolutions to ensure optimal playback on various devices and platforms. This process, known as cloud transcoding, optimizes video for different bandwidths and devices, saving you the need for expensive encoding equipment.

Transcoding can include tweaking the video's bitrate, frame rate, and other technical settings to make sure it plays smoothly and without buffering on different devices. Unlike uploading, which is done just once, transcoding might happen several times to guarantee the video works well across various devices and platforms.

OS: Windows/Mac

Pricing: Free (with restrictions) / Premium

Best used for: Preserving high-definition video quality, making it better suited for playback on different devices or platforms

Upload a video to convert

2. Adobe Media Encoder

A screenshot of the Adobe Media Encoder while it’s encoding a video file

Adobe Media Encoder is a staple program used by many — it’s powerful, versatile, and does an excellent job of maintaining video quality. However, it’s about as difficult to learn as a video converter could be. And it offers several features you probably won’t use if you just need to convert videos, like a custom renderer and dynamic workflow queue. Tutorials exist, but they’re lengthy and technical.

You also need a high-end machine to achieve conversion speeds comparable to other tools on this list, as Adobe Media Encoder is a resource-hungry app. That said, if you have the expertise and advanced hardware to back it up, it’s a studio-quality tool with more to offer than many other HD video converters on this list.

OS: Windows/Mac

Pricing: Premium

Best used for: Maintaining the quality of your videos

See Adobe Media Encoder’s integration with Vimeo

3. Movavi Video Converter

The Movavi Video Converter homepage shows off the tool and its many accolades, such as a 4.8 rating from G2.com

The Movavi Video Encoder is one of the best video converters thanks to its reliability, conversion speed, and compatibility with several file formats. It can transcode popular video formats like MP4 and AVI but also lesser-used ones like MKV and WMV.

Movavi is also a capable video editor that automatically generates subtitles and adds effects to your video. It’s good for basic video tweaks, but you may need a more comprehensive program like Vimeo’s video editor for fine-tuned work.  

OS: Windows/Mac

Pricing: Free (with restrictions) / Premium

Best used for: Converting batches of high-quality videos into several different formats

4. HandBrake

he HandBrake website offers a download button next to a screenshot of the tool in action

If you need to convert and edit a video but don’t want to break the budget, HandBrake is one of the best free video file converters. It’s a straightforward tool with presets for quickly converting video files into common formats like MP4 and AVI. It also supports several other formats like MKV, WMV, and MOV. 

While it lacks some of the bells and whistles of premium tools, HandBrake’s simplicity and ease of use make it a good choice for businesses that just need a fast, simple solution.

OS: Windows/Mac/Linux

Pricing: Free

Best used for: Simplistic, ad hoc video conversions

5. Freemake Video Converter

The Freemake Video Converter homepage has a download button, some information about the tool, and a ticker tracking how many users visited today

Freemake offers a video converter and also acts as a hub for other types of freeware. They provide an audio converter, DVD ripper, and music player, all free without restrictions or trials. Their PC video converter is a capable tool that supports common codecs and output formats like AVI and MP4, but it can’t handle 4K UHD videos no matter which video format you choose.

A notable feature of Freemake is its integration with video hosting platforms like Vimeo, which automatically uploads your converted videos. That feature simplifies a few steps in your video management process, making it a smart choice for teams that want to streamline their editing and converting workflow.

OS: Windows

Pricing: Free

Best used for: Batch conversions and automatic publishing

6. FFmpeg

FFmpeg is a free video converter that supports every video format imaginable, including outmoded and legacy formats like 3GP and FLV. If you have a library of videos you need to modernize, this tool helps you do it, all for free.   While its UI can appear intimidating, FFmpeg’s output process is straightforward, as it runs with a simple command line interface (CLI) tool. Once you install it from GitHub, you can use the CLI to run basic commands that convert files. After you get the hang of FFmpeg, you can learn to use some of its more advanced features, like isolating audio or merging video files.  OS: Windows/Mac/Linux Pricing: Free Best used for: Restoring old files from outdated video formats 7. VideoProc Converter

FFmpeg is a free video converter that supports every video format imaginable, including outmoded and legacy formats like 3GP and FLV. If you have a library of videos you need to modernize, this tool helps you do it, all for free. 

While its UI can appear intimidating, FFmpeg’s output process is straightforward, as it runs with a simple command line interface (CLI) tool. Once you install it from GitHub, you can use the CLI to run basic commands that convert files. After you get the hang of FFmpeg, you can learn to use some of its more advanced features, like isolating audio or merging video files.

OS: Windows/Mac/Linux

Pricing: Free

Best used for: Restoring old files from outdated video formats

7. VideoProc Converter

A screenshot of the VideoProc software converting an MKV file

VideoProc excels at converting video files quickly because it requires minimal CPU usage, which frees up your processor power to convert more videos. It also offers several AI enhancements for upscaling resolution, ensuring minimal video quality loss when scaling from 720p to 1080p or 1080p to 4K videos.

If you’re trying to improve the quality of existing videos or want to touch up new ones, VideoProc is the way to go. A yearly subscription is only $40, making it affordable even if you need to purchase it for multiple team members.

OS: Windows/Mac

Pricing: Free (with restrictions) / Premium

Best used for: Quickly converting old videos and enhancing them along the way

8. Wondershare UniConverter

 A screenshot of the Wondershare tool converting a video file

The Wondershare UniConverter is an affordable video converter for maintaining the quality of HD videos. Thanks to its lossless compression techniques, it can compress and transcode 4K videos with minimal loss of video quality.

It supports standard video formats like MP4, AVI, and MKV and even lets you burn CDs and DVDs or record videos. It’s just $40 per year, but to use AI tools like the video enhancer and subtitle generator, you’ll have to buy additional credits to spend.

OS: Windows/Mac

Pricing: Free (with restrictions) / Premium

Best used for: Converting large batches of HD videos

9. Shutter Encoder

A screenshot of the Shutter Encoder tool’s video editing dock

Shutter Encoder is a completely free video converter that offers a studio-quality experience to match Adobe Media Encoder. It improves upon FFmpeg with a user-friendly UI that visualizes all the advanced features without the need to use a CLI.

However, as with other studio-quality video editing tools, it’s challenging to learn. Only teams with the right expertise or time to sit through lengthy tutorials will want to make this part of their suite of tools.

OS: Windows/Mac

Pricing: Free (with restrictions) / Premium

Best used for: Professional video editors on a budget

Frequently asked questions about transcoding

What’s the best video converter?

The best video converter for your needs depends largely on your budget. If you can afford it, Movavi is one of the best options for most basic and intermediate video conversion needs. It offers everything you could want in a video converter with fast conversion speeds and several supported video formats.

If you just need a simple, free video converter, HandBrake should be your go-to. It’s fast, easy to use, and intuitive, but it’ll only help you with basic tasks. Shutter Encoder, however, is also free and supports everything you could ever want in a video converter — it’s just significantly harder to learn and integrate into your workflows.

What’s the best video format for transcoding?

In general, the best video format is the one that’s compatible with most devices and platforms. 

MPEG-4 (MP4) is the most widely compatible video format. Converting videos to MP4 is a good way to ensure their long-term compatibility. It’s a high-quality format with minimal loss, making it great for everything from 720p to 4K videos. 

MKV is a great format for video files that need to contain more information, like subtitles and metadata. It isn’t as widely compatible, but you might need to try it if you’re making professional videos that need the extra info.

What factors affect the transcoding process? 

Transcoding speed and efficiency rely on your internet service provider's (ISP) bandwidth, as well as the video's size and quality. Common reasons for slow transcoding include large file sizes, high resolutions, and demanding encoding settings.

Can video quality be improved during transcoding? 

Vimeo works to enhance our transcodes so that you maintain the original video quality, while ensuring compatibility with different platforms. Occasionally, the file size on Vimeo may be larger than what you uploaded, because of Vimeo’s focus on preserving video quality.

What is FFmpeg used for?

FFmpeg (Fast Forward Moving Picture Experts Group) is an open-source software package that can manage almost any kind of multimedia file, whether it's video, audio, or images. It's mainly a command-line tool that lets users decode, encode, transcode, mux, demux, stream, filter, and play media, which makes it super useful for things like converting formats, doing some basic video editing, and live streaming.

Convert your videos like a pro and streamline hosting with Vimeo

The right video converter lets you optimize your video files, but only the best do so quickly, while maintaining — or even improving — video quality. Once your videos are converted, you’ll want a video hosting platform that integrates them seamlessly, and that’s where Vimeo can help.

Vimeo is an all-in-one video editing, compression, and streaming platform that gives you control over the most widely-used video formats. Vimeo's online compression software shrinks files without sacrificing quality, and the hosting platform uses a reliable CDN to ensure videos load quickly for your viewers. 

All these features and more are available with a subscription, and you can try it free to see if it suits your needs.

Learn more how Vimeo simplifies encoding

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