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Movavi Video Converter
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12 Best Free DVD Rippers for Windows & Mac [2024]
If you have DVDs that you want archived, then you'll need DVD-ripping software. Many newer computers, particularly Mac computers, are coming without a DVD drive. DVD rippers are the best way to back up your disks that you'll have access to them long after DVD or Blu-ray drives cease to exist. So, what is a DVD ripper? Simply put, it is a program to rip DVDs. Ripping a DVD means copying from the optical disk onto your hard drive.
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List of the best DVD ripping software: Free and paid tools
Our reviews of the best paid and free DVD rippers will help you pick which ones you'd like to download and try. These products are not listed in any specific order. Each of them is a top-quality product, or it would not have made our list.
OS: Windows 7/8/10/11, Mac OS X 10.13 and higher
Price: free trial, a paid one-year subscription, and a paid lifetime version
This video converter allows you to compress your media files and convert videos to and from a wide variety of formats. This includes the ability to rip DVDs and create copies in popular video formats, including MP4, MKV, AVI, MPEG, and others. In addition, you can rip an audio track of your video clip if you'd like to have only the audio. Editing features, such as noise removal, rotation, and cropping, will let you do more than just converting the files. Movavi Video Converter is available for Windows PCs and Macs.
Pros:
Support for all popular video and audio formats
One of the fastest conversion speeds
Additional editing features
Cons:
Only 7-day free trial
To rip a DVD with Movavi Video Converter, follow these simple steps:
Download and install Movavi Video Converter.
Click Add Media, then select Add DVD > Open DVD.
Locate the VIDEO_TS folder on your DVD and select it.
Find the appropriate preset.
Hit the Convert button to rip your DVD.
For a detailed guide, follow the link below:
2. HandBrake
OS: Windows 10/11, Mac OS X 10.13 and higher, Linux
Price: free
HandBrake is a free open-source converter and DVD ripper. In addition to ripping DVDs, it can rip Blu-rays and convert between various file formats. It has a lot of advanced features, but those come at the expense of an interface that isn't as easy to use as some of the more simple programs. With Handbrake, you can rip individual chapters if you do not need the whole DVD. You can also select a custom crop if you do not want to capture the whole screen.The software is available for a PC as well as Macintosh and Linux computers.
Pros:
DVDs and Blu-rays ripping
Live preview included
Effective batch conversion
A custom cropping feature for recording a part of the video
Cons:
A bit of a learning curve
OS: Windows Vista/7/8/10/11
Price: free
This is another freeware that allows more than just DVD transferring. Like Handbrake, it can copy between many different video file formats so you can quickly convert a video to the format you need. It also allows you to burn your movies back to a DVD so you can use it to make your own custom DVDs. Freemake Video Converter is available for Windows users only.
Pros:
Supports 500+ formats
Can burn videos to a DVD
Can import subtitles
Has an audio extraction feature
Cons:
Allows one free conversion before you need to upgrade
4. MakeMKV
OS: Windows XP and higher, Mac OS X 10.7 and higher, Linux
Price: free (in beta)
This is one of the easiest ways to rip your DVDs. MakeMKV allows you to select chapters you'd like to extract and choose where you want to transfer them. Of course, this extreme ease of use comes at the cost of not being able to customize your settings as much as you may like, particularly if you are an advanced user. The software is currently in beta and is free during that time. It is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Pros:
Unlimited DVD conversions
Fast conversion speed
No watermarks or ads
Cons:
Lack of customization options
Conversion to MKV format only
OS: Windows 7/8/10
Price: free version, a paid one-year subscription, and a paid lifetime version
WinX DVD Ripper is one of the best DVD rippers. This program can record videos from DVDs directly, or from DVD folders that have been saved on your computer, and convert them into popular video formats. It lets you rip the subtitles to include in the video file or embed your own if you'd like. WinX DVD Ripper also gives you the option to select which audio track you'd like to build your video from. There is a free edition of the software that is limited to ripping only 5 minutes of a video. The paid version has no limitations, and duplicates discs without a watermark. It also includes speed enhancements to go along with the longer video length. As the name suggests, it is available for Windows only.
Pros:
Basic video edits and adjustments
Wide range of output formats
Profiles for various devices
Cons:
Free version allows ripping up to 5 minutes only
No Blu-ray support
OS: Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS X 10.6 and higher
Price: free trial, a paid one-year subscription, and a paid lifetime version
This software makes things easy while retaining quite a bit of customization options. You can select optimization profiles depending on what your target device is. For example, you may rip the DVD for best viewing on a phone, a desktop, a game console, or any of the other 170 or so options that you can choose from. Additionally, you can use this program for burning CDs. The software is paid, but a free trial is available for a Mac or PC.
Pros:
Encrypted DVDs ripping
Cropping, trimming, and subtitling capabilities
Wide range of ripping profiles
Cons:
Slow encoding
Output files require large storage
OS: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10/11, Mac OS X 10.5 and higher
Price: free (for non-commercial use), a paid Home Edition
As with many of the other options on this list, Prism Video Converter doubles as a tool to turn one video file format to another, in addition to its DVD-ripping abilities. The software allows you to add effects, such as color filters or watermarks. For those stepping outside of its DVD ripping feature, it has a compressing feature and a batch conversion option that let you convert multiple video files at once. The software is available for Macs and Windows PCs. There is also a free version for non-commercial use that supports fewer file formats.
Pros:
Color filters and watermarks available
Batch conversion and compression functions
Wide variety of formats
Cons:
Free version supports limited formats
OS: Windows 7/8/10/11
Price: free trial, a paid single license, and a paid family license
Known for its sleek interface, WonderFox DVD Ripper includes 250 optimization profiles so you'll be able to quickly find the best settings for your specific needs. All of that choice comes at the expense of the software not having fancy editing features. There are no color filters and no watermark addition feature available like in some of the other software.
Pros:
Sleek user interface
250 ripping profiles
Fast conversion speeds
Cons:
Lacks basic editing features
No support for DVD-to-ISO conversion
OS: Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS X 10.6 or higher
Price: free trial, a paid one-year subscription, and a paid lifetime version
This is another option that includes the ability to convert your videos to and from multiple file formats. A very unique feature of this software is the ability to convert a 2D video to a 3D video using a number of different effects. The resulting video can be viewed with 3D glasses or on 3D capable outputs. It is available for both macOS and Windows computers.
Pros:
2D-to-3D video conversion
Audio-extracting function
Cons:
No Blu-ray support
Slow ripping process
10. DVD Decrypter
OS: Windows Vista/7/8/10
Price: free
This is a free DVD decoder for Windows computers that is no longer in development. The final version of the software is still archived at its website so you can still download it. The interface is easy to use, with more advanced features being tucked away in menus where users can access them if needed.
Pros:
Simple interface
Various formats support
Cons:
No new updates
No Mac support
11. DVD Shrink
OS: Windows 7/8/10
Price: free
Another freeware option for Windows users is DVD Shrink. This software is basic but will get the job done. You can select which of parts of a DVD you need to rip so you can keep your file sizes down. If you find that you like the software and get a lot of use out of it, the developers do offer the option to make a donation for the continued development of it.
Pros:
A preview option
Re-authoring and re-encoding features
Simple interface
Cons:
Lack of advanced features
No Mac version
12. MediaCoder
OS: Windows Vista/7/8
Price: free
In development since 2005, this free DVD extractor was one of the first to use GPU acceleration to speed up the encoding of video files. The developers have prioritized quality of output over ease of use. The app can rip from Blu-rays as well as DVDs, can apply various filters to the final video file, and can convert to and from just about any video file format.
Pros:
GPU acceleration support
Wide range of formats available
Blu-ray ripping capability
Cons:
Slow ripping
User interface is not user-friendly
How to rip a DVD to a computer with Movavi Video Converter
Step 1. Download and install Movavi Video Converter
Download the installation file and install the converter to your device. Make sure you have the correct version for your operating system.
Step 2. Add a DVD to the program
Open Movavi Video Converter and click Add Media. Select Add DVD from the menu, then click Open DVD, and locate the VIDEO_TS folder on your DVD. The disc will be added to Movavi Video Converter.
Step 3. Choose your preset
Select your intended format from the presets shown in the Video or Devices tab at the bottom panel.
Step 4. Start converting
To choose the output folder, click the Save to button. Hit the Convert button to start processing your files.
Frequently asked questions
▶️ Can I legally rip a DVD I own?
The answer depends on where you live and what you plan to do with the ripped copy. Generally speaking, all DVDs are protected by copyright in the US, so you can’t legally copy them without permission.
However, under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), there is an exception for “fair use.” If you use the ripped DVD for personal use, such as making a backup of the disk so you can watch it on your computer or mobile device, then it is usually okay, as long as you don’t break any other copyright laws.
▶️ What is the best way to digitize your DVD collection?
The best way to digitize your DVD collection is using a DVD ripper. There are many different options out there for both paid and free versions of the software, so you can pick the one that best fits your needs. Our top recommendation is Movavi Video Converter, which has a great selection of features and an intuitive user interface.
▶️ What is the best free DVD ripper for Windows 10?
If you're looking for an absolutely free DVD ripper specifically designed for Windows 10, then HandBrake may be the best choice. For quick DVD ripping, you can also try the free trial version of Movavi Video Converter.
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