Free DVDFab alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

5 of the 7 DVDFab alternatives we track can be used for free (free, open source, or with a free plan). HandBrake, MakeMKV and Any Video Converter rank highest, with facts last verified Nov 8, 2026.

Quick comparison

#	App	Pricing	Verified price	Open source	Platforms	Verified facts	Score
1	HandBrake	Open source	—	Yes	Windows, macOS, Linux	4 of 4	79.8
2	MakeMKV	Free plan + paid	—	No	Windows, macOS, Linux	5 of 5	68.8
3	Any Video Converter	Free plan + paid	$29.95 a month	No	Windows, macOS	7 of 7	55.9
4	VLC media player	Open source	—	Yes	Windows, macOS, Linux +2	3 of 3	52.6
5	LeLeawo Blu-ray Player	Free plan + paid	Free (premium from $44.95/year)	No	Windows, macOS	4 of 4	50.0

1. HandBrakeTop pick
Best for: Anyone who needs to shrink, convert or batch-encode video files for free
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux
79.8
score / 100
Why switch from DVDFab
Free and open source for compressing video, if your discs aren't copy-protected.
Pros
Free, open source and needs no account
Device and web presets for quick conversions
Hardware-accelerated encoding on most GPUs
Batch queue and command-line version
Cons
Not an editor: only basic cropping and filters
Cannot rip copy-protected discs by itself
Many encoder settings can confuse newcomers
Visit HandBrake Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.387
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is HandBrake a good DVDFab alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Price
Free, no account
Checked Nov 8, 2026handbrake.fr(opens source in a new tab)
Platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux
Checked Nov 8, 2026handbrake.fr(opens source in a new tab)
macOS requirement
macOS 10.13 or later
Checked Nov 8, 2026handbrake.fr(opens source in a new tab)
Linux distribution
Flatpak via Flathub
Checked Nov 8, 2026handbrake.fr(opens source in a new tab)
2. MakeMKV
Best for: People backing up their own DVDs and Blu-rays for Plex, Jellyfin or a home theatre
Free plan + paidWindows, macOS, Linux
68.8
score / 100
Why switch from DVDFab
Lossless disc backups with free DVD ripping and a single one-time licence for Blu-ray.
Pros
Keeps all tracks, chapters and HD audio losslessly
Handles disc copy protection with no extra tools
DVD ripping is free
Can stream discs directly to a player
Cons
MKV files are very large because nothing is compressed
Beta builds expire after 60 days and must be re-downloaded
Linux version is distributed through the forum
No video conversion or compression options
Visit MakeMKV Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.3100
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is MakeMKV a good DVDFab alternative?
Verified facts
5 of 5 verified
DVD ripping
Free
Checked Nov 8, 2026makemkv.com(opens source in a new tab)
Blu-ray trial
30 days
Checked Nov 8, 2026makemkv.com(opens source in a new tab)
Licence model
One-time key, no subscription
Checked Nov 8, 2026makemkv.com(opens source in a new tab)
Platforms
Windows, Mac, Linux
Checked Nov 8, 2026makemkv.com(opens source in a new tab)
Beta expiry
60 days per version
Checked Nov 8, 2026makemkv.com(opens source in a new tab)
3. Any Video Converter
Best for: Home users who want an easy all-in-one converter and downloader on Windows or Mac
Free plan + paidWindows, macOS
55.9
score / 100
Why switch from DVDFab
Free tier converts and downloads video in many formats, covering the everyday DVDFab conversion jobs at no cost.
Pros
Free edition handles conversion, compression and downloads
Batch conversion with saved presets
DVD/CD ripping included; DVD burning in paid editions
Permanent licence option alongside subscriptions
Cons
Not open source, unlike HandBrake
No Linux version
Upsells for AI credits and companion products clutter the experience
Visit Any Video Converter Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.357
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Any Video Converter a good DVDFab alternative?
Verified facts
7 of 7 verified
Free edition
Yes, $0
Checked Nov 8, 2026any-video-converter.com(opens source in a new tab)
Formats
1000+ video and audio formats
Checked Nov 8, 2026any-video-converter.com(opens source in a new tab)
Platforms
Windows 10/11 (64-bit), macOS 12+
Checked Nov 8, 2026any-video-converter.com(opens source in a new tab)
Developer
Anvsoft Inc.
Checked Nov 8, 2026any-video-converter.com(opens source in a new tab)
Latest version
9.2.5 (August 2026)
Checked Nov 8, 2026any-video-converter.com(opens source in a new tab)
Ultimate plan
$29.95 a month
Checked Nov 8, 2026any-video-converter.com(opens source in a new tab)
Free plan
Yes, $0
Checked Nov 8, 2026any-video-converter.com(opens source in a new tab)
4. VLC media player
Best for: Anyone who wants one free player that opens almost any file on every device
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
52.6
score / 100
Why switch from DVDFab
Free player with a basic convert feature for occasional, unprotected rips.
Pros
Plays nearly every format without extra codecs
Free and open source, no ads or tracking
Available on desktop and mobile platforms
Cons
Interface looks dated and settings are hard to navigate
Library and metadata features are basic
HDR and high-end video output lag behind mpv-based players
Visit VLC media player Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.346
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is VLC media player a good DVDFab alternative?
Verified facts
3 of 3 verified
License
GPL-2.0
Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
Open source
Yes
Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
Tagline
Plays everything, runs anywhere
Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
Le
5. Leawo Blu-ray Player
Best for: People who want free Blu-ray playback on a Windows PC or Mac
Free plan + paidWindows, macOS
50.0
score / 100
Why switch from DVDFab
Free Blu-ray and DVD player for Windows and Mac, if you only used DVDFab's player and not the ripping tools.
Pros
Free Blu-ray and DVD playback
Runs on Windows and Mac
Lifetime licence option for premium features
Cons
Pushes the developer's other paid tools
Newer or region-locked discs may fail
Closed source
Visit Leawo Blu-ray Player Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.338
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Leawo Blu-ray Player a good DVDFab alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Price
Free (premium from $44.95/year)
Checked Nov 8, 2026leawo.org(opens source in a new tab)
Lifetime licence
$99.95
Checked Nov 8, 2026leawo.org(opens source in a new tab)
Free version
Yes
Checked Nov 8, 2026leawo.org(opens source in a new tab)
Mac version
Yes
Checked Nov 8, 2026leawo.org(opens source in a new tab)

Quick comparison

1. HandBrakeTop pick

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

2. MakeMKV

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

3. Any Video Converter

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

4. VLC media player

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

5. Leawo Blu-ray Player

Pros

Cons

Verified facts