saasrankedSoftware, ranked on the facts

Design, Video & Audio

Best video converter software

Convert video and audio files to the format, size and quality you need, in batches, on a Windows PC. 11 video converters, ranked by points out of 100.

Facts checked 9 Oct 2026 · How we score video converters

Not scored yet: Prism Video Converter.

In short

  1. 1
    Shutter EncoderEditors and video makers who want a free converter with professional codecs and a watch folder
    94/100
    $0cheapest full version
  2. 2
    HandBrakePeople who want a free converter with no watermark and a command-line option
    87/100
    $0cheapest full version
  3. 3
    XMedia RecodeWindows users who want a free converter with many codecs and device profiles
    69/100
    $0cheapest full version
  4. 4
    Any Video ConverterPeople who want a free converter without watermarks and may upgrade later
    67/100
    $0cheapest full version
  5. 5
    Format FactoryPeople who want a free all-purpose converter and accept an optional bandwidth-sharing offer
    63/100
    $0cheapest full version
  6. 6
    VideoProc Converter AIPeople who want GPU-accelerated conversion with ProRes and AV1 and will pay for it
    61/100
    $59.95/yrcheapest full version
  7. 7
    Wondershare UniConverterPeople who want a paid converter with batch, compression and DVD tools
    55/100
    $45.99/yrcheapest full version
  8. 8
    Freemake Video ConverterPeople who want a free Windows converter and accept a logo on the output
    37/100
    Not publishedcheapest full version
  9. 9
    HitPaw UnivdPeople who want modern codecs and device profiles and accept a yearly or one-time licence
    34/100
    $79.90/yrcheapest full version
  10. 10
    Movavi Video ConverterPeople who want a simple paid converter with trim, crop and rotate built in
    30/100
    Not publishedcheapest full version
  11. 11
    Aiseesoft Video Converter UltimatePeople who want to pay once for a converter with batch conversion and extra tools
    27/100
    $62.45/yrcheapest full version

How the points add up

Points earned out of the points available in each part of the method.

ProductSystems
of 6		Formats
of 23		Speed
of 12		Batch and tools
of 23		Price and licence
of 36		Total
Shutter Encoder62312233094
HandBrake62012193087
XMedia Recode01912142469
Any Video Converter3160183067
Format Factory01612112463
VideoProc Converter AI3191218961
Wondershare UniConverter3161215955
Freemake Video Converter016411637
HitPaw Univd31608734
Movavi Video Converter310011630
Aiseesoft Video Converter Ultimate36011727

Each video converter in brief

1. Shutter Encoder

Shutter Encoder suits video editors who want a free converter with ProRes, DNxHR, a watch folder, a render queue and a target-size setting. It runs on all three desktop systems and its source is GPL-3.0. The catch: its pages do not describe a command-line interface, and the documentation says its file-size setting cannot guarantee an exact size.

Best for: Editors and video makers who want a free converter with professional codecs and a watch folder. Prices, facts and sources

2. HandBrake

HandBrake suits anyone who wants a free, open-source converter with a job queue, device presets and a command-line version. It writes H.265 and AV1, keeps HDR10 metadata and has hardware encoders for all three GPU makers. The catch: its pages do not describe a target-file-size option or audio-only output.

Best for: People who want a free converter with no watermark and a command-line option. Prices, facts and sources

3. XMedia Recode

XMedia Recode suits Windows users who want a free converter with hardware encoders for all three GPU makers, AV1 and H.265 output, and device profiles. It converts batches and unprotected discs. The catch: it is Windows-only, and its pages do not describe a command line, a target-size setting or HDR handling.

Best for: Windows users who want a free converter with many codecs and device profiles. Prices, facts and sources

4. Any Video Converter

Any Video Converter suits people who want a free converter that adds no watermark and still offers batch conversion, trimming and compression. Paid plans start at $19.95 a month, or $49.95 once for Pro. The catch: the pages do not name NVIDIA, Intel or AMD encoders, and custom presets and DVD burning are paid features.

Best for: People who want a free converter without watermarks and may upgrade later. Prices, facts and sources

5. Format Factory

Format Factory suits people who want a free Windows converter that also rips discs and writes HEVC and AV1. Release notes list GPU encoders for all three makers. The catch: the vendor's pages say little about automation or target file size, and the licence text includes an optional Bright Data network offer.

Best for: People who want a free all-purpose converter and accept an optional bandwidth-sharing offer. Prices, facts and sources

6. VideoProc Converter AI

VideoProc Converter AI suits people who want ProRes, AV1 and GPU encoding in one paid converter. List prices are $59.95 a year or $89.95 once. The catch: the free trial is capped at files under 5 minutes, the yearly plan renews at $39.95, above its $34.95 sale price, and the pages publish no command line.

Best for: People who want GPU-accelerated conversion with ProRes and AV1 and will pay for it. Prices, facts and sources

7. Wondershare UniConverter

UniConverter suits people who convert many files and want one paid tool that also compresses, burns DVDs and reads DVDs. It lists HEVC and AV1 output, and says it supports Intel, NVIDIA and AMD GPUs with GPU encoding acceleration. The catch: its price page shows two different yearly prices, and the free trial converts only a third of each video.

Best for: People who want a paid converter with batch, compression and DVD tools. Prices, facts and sources

8. Freemake Video Converter

Freemake suits people who want a free Windows converter for occasional jobs and can live with a logo on the output. It lists HEVC and AV1 output, subtitles, DVD ripping and batch conversion. The catch: removing the logo needs the Mega Pack, whose price is not shown on its page, and its support page names GPU encoding only for NVIDIA.

Best for: People who want a free Windows converter and accept a logo on the output. Prices, facts and sources

9. HitPaw Univd

HitPaw Univd suits people who want AV1, HEVC and ProRes output and device profiles. The yearly plan lists at $79.90 and a one-time licence at $159.90, both shown at half price. The catch: the free trial converts only a third of each file, and the vendor pages do not mention subtitles, HDR, a command line or disc input.

Best for: People who want modern codecs and device profiles and accept a yearly or one-time licence. Prices, facts and sources

10. Movavi Video Converter

Movavi Video Converter suits people who want a plain paid converter with batch conversion, device presets and basic editing. It lists H.265 but not AV1, and its pages do not name GPU encoding. The catch: the trial watermarks every output, and the buy page shows prices in local currency, so the US list price is unclear.

Best for: People who want a simple paid converter with trim, crop and rotate built in. Prices, facts and sources

11. Aiseesoft Video Converter Ultimate

Aiseesoft Video Converter Ultimate suits people who want a one-time licence and need batch conversion, device profiles, trimming and cropping. The lifetime plan lists at $62.45 for one PC and is shown at $49.96. The catch: the free version limits conversion to 5 minutes per file, and the vendor pages do not list H.265/HEVC, AV1 or ProRes as output, name GPU makers or describe a command line.

Best for: People who want to pay once for a converter with batch conversion and extra tools. Prices, facts and sources

Every fact, side by side

Each row is one rule of the method and the points it is worth. "–" means the vendor does not publish it, which earns nothing.

Rule (points)Shutter EncoderHandBrakeXMedia RecodeAny Video ConverterFormat FactoryVideoProc Converter AIWondershare UniConverterFreemake Video ConverterHitPaw UnivdMovavi Video ConverterAiseesoft Video Converter Ultimate
Also runs on (6)2 of 22 of 20 of 21 of 20 of 21 of 21 of 20 of 21 of 21 of 21 of 2
H.265 (HEVC) output (4)YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes–
AV1 output (6)YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes––
Editing codecs (3)YesYesYes––Yes––Yes––
HDR kept or tone-mapped (4)YesYes–––––––––
Audio-only conversion (3)Yes–YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Subtitles (3)YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes–YesYes
GPU encoding (12)3 of 33 of 33 of 30 of 33 of 33 of 33 of 31 of 30 of 30 of 30 of 3
Batch queue (5)YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Device presets (3)YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Command line or watch folder (5)YesYes–––––––––
Compress to a set file size (4)Yes––Yes–YesYes––––
Trim, crop and rotate (3)YesYesYesYes–Yes–––YesYes
Reads DVD or Blu-ray (3)YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes–––
Free version without a watermark (12)YesYesYesYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNo
Open source (6)YesYes–––––––––
Pay once, keep it (6)NoNoNoYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes
Cheapest full version (12)$0$0$0$0$0$59.95/yr$45.99/yr–$79.90/yr–$62.45/yr

Head to head

We read each vendor's own pages, record every fact with its source and date, and score it by the rules on how we score video converters. A tie goes to the lower price. Desktop converters that run on Windows 10 or 11 and turn video and audio files from one format into another. Media players, video editors, online-only converters and bare command-line tools such as FFmpeg are left out. 'On at least one plan' counts the free version too. Vendor claims about speed or quality are shown on product pages but never scored. Prices are in US dollars before tax.