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Page Table of Contents
Jane Zhou
Updated on Nov 14, 2023
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0 min read
With some niche video files formatted in ASF, DV, 3G2, or others, you will find it difficult to play those videos on common video players or devices. To solve this problem, you can use a free video converter to change the video format into one compatible with your device or player.
Fortunately, there is a lot of video-converting software available on the market. To save you time and money, here we are gonna share with you some of the best free open-source video converters. Just read to find your favorite one!
| 🔢How many tested | 15, and only 6 selected |
| 🧑🏻🤝🧑🏻Selected for | Windows and macOS users |
| 📂Video format supported | MOV, MKV, AVI, FLV, and more |
| ⚙️What we test | Conversion speed, video quality, customization options, etc. |
| 🕰️Time spent | 17 days |
| 🥇Most recommended | EaseUS VideoKit |
This table lists the most important factors considered during the test process.
| Open-Source Video Converters | Systems | Formats | Customization | Rating |
| HandBrake | Windows, macOS, and Linux. | MP4 or M4V, MKV, MOV, MPG or MPEG, AVI, WMV, etc. | Adjust the video codec, video frame rate, video quality, and more. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| VLC Media Player | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. | MOV, MP4, FLV, AVI, AAC, FLAC, and many more. | Adjust the parameters of the input video and audio files. | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Video Converter & Transcoder | Windows and Linux. | MP4, M4A, MKV, H.264 or H.265 HEVC AAC, etc. | Rotate and resize video or extract audio from video clips. | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| MediaCoder | Windows, macOS, and Linux. | MP3, Vorbis, LC-AAC, HE-AAC, Opus, AC-3, MPEG Audio, Speex, AMR, and more. | Transcoding parameters for adjusting and tuning. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Miro Video Converter | Android, iPhone, iPods, and iPad. | MP4, WebM, and OGG. | Custom sizing. | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| FFmpeg | Linux, Mac OS, Windows, the BSDs, Solaris, etc. | ASF, AVI, input from AviSynth, BFI, CAF, FLV, GIF, MPEG, OGG, etc. | Format transcoding, basic editing (trimming and concatenation), video scaling. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
An All-in-One Video Converter for Windows & macOS- Editor's Choice
If you want to find an easy yet powerful media converter for audio or video conversion, look no more than EaseUS VideoKit!
Supporting almost all video and audio formats, it lets you flexibly change your media file into other formats in simple steps. For instance, you can convert your MP4 video into MOV, MKV, AVI, MPEG, FLV, etc., or vice versa without losing any quality.
Besides these basic features, it also functions to customize the parameters of your output files, including the resolution, bitrate, channel, frame rate, sample rate, and many more, so that you can get the best files for sharing or enjoying! Don't hesitate to try this excellent converting software!
Top 1. HandBrake
HandBrake is one of the most popular open source video converting software worldwide, and it can run smoothly on Windows, macOS, and even Linux computers. Using this free video converter, you are able to convert video from nearly any format into MP4 or MKV.
More than that, it also allows you to adjust the video codec, video frame rate, video quality, audio bitrate, parameters of input, etc. If needed, you are opened up to profiles/presets to choose from and avoid the need to adjust options one is not sure of.
After converting, you can edit the video as you want with the freeware. Considered a basic video editor, Handbrake provides some editing tools as well. Here, you can use it to apply video filters, add or remove subtitles, crop videos, resize video clips, and much more. To some degree, it is worthwhile software to try.
Features:
- Completely free and multi-compatible
- Batch scan and queueing of encodes
- Support for VFR and CFR
- Offer basic and advanced editing tools
Top 2. VLC Media Player
Another open-source video converter we are going to share with you is VLC Media Player. Most of you know that it is a great media player because it supports various video and audio formats. However, more than that, it is an easy-to-use audio and video converter that lets you change your media formats quickly.
This freeware supports MOV, MP4, FLV, AVI, AAC, FLAC, and many more, which means that all the supported formats can be converted through this program. In addition, VLC offers you options to adjust the parameters of the input video and audio files before starting the conversion as well. All in all, if you want to find a program that combines media file playing and converting functions, you can rely on VLC.
Key features:
- Compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android
- Support video and audio conversion process
- Allow ripping files from DVDs to save into a local folder
After converting, you may want to edit your video clips with some video editing software. Here, we recommend EaseUS Video Editor, which is best for both beginners and pros because of its intuitive interface and advanced editing tools.
EaseUS Video Editor
Easy & smart video editing software for beginners
- Build-in 100+ visual effects like transitions, filters, overlays, etc.
- Trim, crop, split, rotate, import, mix video and audio, etc.
- Adjust style, add watermark, zoom, mosaic, speed or slow video/audio.
- Support green screen cutout, PIP, voiceover, speech & text convert
Trusted by TechRadar, Fstopper, etc.
Top 3. VCT – Video Converter & Transcoder
VCT is an open-source video/audio converter based on FFmpeg. This video-converting software supports batch-converting audio and video collection to H.264 or H.265 HEVC, AAC, MP3, and many more. Also, it can transcode MKV to MP4 and M4V or vice versa in 1 minute.
Apart from the converting features, VCT lets you rotate video, resize video, or even extract audio from video clips. Moreover, if you want to save AV streams from the Internet, you also can get the work done with this program.
Key features:
- Enable to select an audio stream to encode with video
- Create conversion tasks easily
- Remove subtitles or add subtitles as a stream
Top 4. MediaCoder
MediaCoder is an excellent video transcoding software developed since 2005. Converting and changing media formats is just a piece of cake for MediaCoder. This software enables you to convert between the most popular audio and video formats, and all the converted files will keep the original quality.
Moreover, it will help you rip BD/DVD/VCD/CD and even capture video from cameras. If you like, you can enhance video and audio content by applying various filters after the conversion.
Key features:
- Convert media content for playback on multimedia devices
- Extract audio tracks from video files and discs
- Fix corrupted or partially downloaded video files
- Help reduce video and audio file size
Top 5. Miro Video Converter
With a beautiful user interface, Miro Video Converter is becoming more and more popular in the open-source video converter market.
To convert video formats, you can simply drag and drop the video file and select the output format; then, it will begin the conversion. That’s it! It is also worth mentioning that this software supports batch conversion, which will allow you to import multiple video files and convert them at one time.
But it only can export three video formats (MP4, WebM, and OGG). If that’s enough for you, you also can select this software for converting media files.
Key features:
- 100% free and open-source
- Built-in a friendly user interface
- Convert video to the correct size and format for popular devices or media players
Top 6. FFmpeg
Available for all Windows, macOS, and Linux users, FFmpeg is a free video converter and media streaming software. It is aimed to decode, encode, transcode, mux, demux, stream, and filter almost any video and audio file.
No matter how obscure, ancient, or modern a media format is, this open-source video converter is ready to give you the best experience. Converting media formats usually works with the command line. This makes it possible to integrate it with other converter software thanks to the coding being open source and ready for contribution.
Key features:
- Support filtering and streaming videos
- Support almost all media conversions
- Offer a rich list of supported encoders and transcoders
The Bottom Line
Here, we have talked about the top 6 free open-source video converters for Windows and Mac, and you can choose the suitable one based on your needs. If those programs cannot meet your needs, try EaseUS Video Converter. It will never let you down!
FAQs about Open Source Video Converter
1. Is there a completely free video converter?
Yes, there are a bunch of free video converters, such as Any Video Converter Free, Freemake Video Converter, Free HD Video Converter Factory, HandBrake, Free Video Converter, and more. They support different video formats and operating systems, but note that free tools often come with limited features.
2. Is VLC a good video converter?
VLC Media Player is primarily known as a versatile media player, but it also has limited video conversion capabilities. While VLC can convert videos between some formats, it may not be as feature-rich or user-friendly as dedicated video converters.
If you need advanced video conversion features, you might find other tools like HandBrake or Freemake Video Converter more suitable. However, for basic conversions, VLC can be a convenient option since it's widely available and free to use.
