Free Online Video Converter compared with HandBrake, Adobe Media Encoder and VLC| FreeConvert video converter | HandBrake | Adobe Media Encoder | VLC |
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| Approach: A web service: you upload a video, choose a target format and reduce the size by percentage, in megabytes, by quality, resolution or maximum bitrate. Set the options before uploading, as they cannot be changed afterwards. | Approach: A volunteer-built video transcoder that converts nearly any input format into modern, widely supported codecs. | Approach: Ingests and transcodes media, creates proxies, and automates work with presets, Watch Folders and Destination Publishing. It can output almost any format. | Approach: Presented as a player for many formats and codecs. Its download page does not describe file conversion. |
| Usage limits: Free users get 20 conversion minutes per day, with a cap of 5 conversion minutes per file. Paid plans raise the maximum file size, from 1.5 GB to 5 GB. | Usage limits: The project page lists no usage quota. Capacity depends on your own computer. | Usage limits: Limits are not stated on the product page. | Usage limits: The page states no conversion quota. |
| Cost and licence: Free tier plus paid subscriptions. It is a hosted service, not open source. | Cost and licence: Free, open source under the GPL. | Cost and licence: Available only within Adobe Creative Cloud, with a trial download. | Cost and licence: Free and open source. |
| Platform and data handling: Runs in a browser, but the video is uploaded to the vendor. The pricing page mentions encryption and secure data centres without giving a deletion delay, so avoid sensitive footage. | Platform and data handling: Windows, macOS and Linux, version 1.11.2. Processing happens locally. | Platform and data handling: Operating systems are not stated on the product page. | Platform and data handling: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and more. The current download is version 3.0.24. |
| When to choose it: Choose it to shrink or reformat a clip once, on a machine where nothing can be installed. | When to choose it: Choose HandBrake for repeated or large conversions that must stay on your own computer. | When to choose it: Choose Media Encoder for batch and watch-folder workflows in an Adobe video pipeline. | When to choose it: Choose VLC mainly for playback and checking a file before conversion. |