Shutter Encoder vs HandBrake
Two of the top three video converters, compared rule by rule on published facts.
In short
- Shutter Encoder has 94 points and HandBrake 87, 7 apart on our video converter software rules.
- Shutter Encoder earns more on formats and batch and tools; HandBrake earns more on nothing.
- Cheapest full version: Shutter Encoder $0, HandBrake $0.
- Only Shutter Encoder meets: audio-only conversion and compress to a set file size.
Shutter Encoder94/100 #1 of 11
Best for: Editors and video makers who want a free converter with professional codecs and a watch folder.
HandBrake87/100 #2 of 11
Best for: People who want a free converter with no watermark and a command-line option.
Points by group
| Group | Shutter Encoder | HandBrake |
|---|---|---|
| Systems of 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Formats of 23 | 23 | 20 |
| Speed of 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Batch and tools of 23 | 23 | 19 |
| Price and licence of 36 | 30 | 30 |
| Total | 94 | 87 |
Rule by rule
What each vendor publishes, and the points it earns. Sources are on each product page.
| Rule (points) | Shutter Encoder | HandBrake |
|---|---|---|
| Also runs on (6) | macOS, Linux 6 | macOS, Linux 6 |
| H.265 (HEVC) output (4) | Yes 4 | Yes 4 |
| AV1 output (6) | Yes 6 | Yes 6 |
| Editing codecs (3) | Yes 3 | Yes 3 |
| HDR kept or tone-mapped (4) | Yes 4 | Yes 4 |
| Audio-only conversion (3) | Yes 3 | Not published 0 |
| Subtitles (3) | Yes 3 | Yes 3 |
| GPU encoding (12) | NVIDIA NVENC, Intel Quick Sync, AMD AMF/VCN 12 | NVIDIA NVENC, Intel Quick Sync, AMD AMF/VCN 12 |
| Batch queue (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| Device presets (3) | Yes 3 | Yes 3 |
| Command line or watch folder (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| Compress to a set file size (4) | Yes 4 | Not published 0 |
| Trim, crop and rotate (3) | Yes 3 | Yes 3 |
| Reads DVD or Blu-ray (3) | Yes 3 | Yes 3 |
| Free version without a watermark (12) | Yes 12 | Yes 12 |
| Open source (6) | Yes 6 | Yes 6 |
| Pay once, keep it (6) | No 0 | No 0 |
| Cheapest full version (12) | $0 12 | $0 12 |
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.
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.
Both products are scored by the same rules: how we score video converters.