Have you ever encountered problems when watching a video file on different devices? Like when some file types play on Windows but won’t run on macOS or vice versa. This can be an annoying occurrence especially when it happens multiple times. So what can you do? Well, the best solution is to find an online video converter to convert any video file into more universal formats. In this article, we’ll run through the best online video converter programs for all your video converting needs.
How do Video Converters work?
First off, what is a video converter? In the previous scenario, we said that some videos just won’t play in different operating systems (or indifferent media players). This is most likely caused by a lack of support for different file types for many different reasons. A lot of different media players support only some file types and not others. Even more, some operating systems just outright don’t support certain file types (desktops don’t always support camera file formats).
Let’s skip all the technical jargon because honestly, there are so many file types it’s mind-boggling. All you need to know is that a video converter will convert your video file into a different file format. This includes types you’re probably familiar with like MP4, MKV, AVI, or even MP3. In fact, many people do opt to convert their videos into audio so they can listen to the content instead. That includes Youtube videos to MP4 audio format.
Some video converter software can even handle obscure and rarely used file formats (like converting FAV to MP4). This can be good if you’re a professional videographer dealing with different formats on different cameras. A good video converter should have options for multiple file formats and in high qualities with fewer restrictions.
In this list, we’ll go through the best online video converter software you should consider.
Best Online Video Converters
Let’s get right to it. Here are our top picks for the best online video converter programs you can find. There are options for Mac, PC, and Linux as well so you should be able to find the best one for your specific needs.
1. Any Video Converter
From the name itself, you should expect that Any Video Converter can convert, quite literally, any video. So far, it’s pretty up to par. There are even added capabilities that other video converter programs lack like support for Facebook videos, profiles for different devices, and extracting audio from CDs and DVDs.
How do you know what is the best video converted by any kind of video converter? The best kind of converted result should be one that retains 100% of its previous quality. That’s probably the best feature of Any Video Converter as it can convert without losing any kind of video quality. Whether that’s in the audio or the video resolution.
In addition to retaining quality, Any Video Converter also acts as a video-editing tool. That means you can trim, add subtitles, effects, and even crop videos after downloading them. Its premium version will even let you burn videos into discs (although nowadays people don’t usually use optical discs anymore).
2. Convert2Mp3
If you’re looking for an audio converter with video converter capabilities, then check out Convert2Mp3. This video converter can convert video to MP3 or convert audio/video to other audio/video file formats as well. You can even add a thumbnail to the converted video if it’s been converted from an audio file. Just go to settings and set your default thumbnail cover there. Additionally, if you want to be notified by the program when your file has finished converting, you can easily set it up under settings.
There is a downside, though. If you’re going to use Convert2Mp3, make sure you’re only converting from its three supported websites: Youtube, DailyMotion, and Clipfish. Although it’s a plus that you can search videos you want to convert from those sites right on Convert2Mp3.
Supported output file formats include MP3, AVI, 3GP, WMV, M4A, AAC, OGG, WMA, FLAC, and MP4.
3. Converto
If you’re mainly converting Youtube videos, then Converto.io might be a good program to check out. It can convert any Youtube video to MP3 or MP4.
While it seems underwhelming given the limited support for output file formats, Converto does have strength. That is, it allows for conversion in HD and HQ quality. That means you won’t have to worry about losing any digital information when you’re converting. Unless that’s what you want (maybe to lower the file size and save on storage space). In that case, you’re also given the option to choose video quality when converting.
Converto is great for beginners because of how easy it is to use. Simply copy your Youtube URL and paste it into the program and the video converter will do its thing. However, if you want to customize your conversion a bit, you can. Apart from the option to change quality, you also have the option to cut the video, edit the filename, and edit ID3 tags.
4. Free HD Video Converter Factory
What is the best free video file converter on the web? Well, one of the best we’ve seen so far is the Free HD Video Converter Factory. While the output might be limited to less than 1080p, it’s still one of the best free video converter programs out there. It takes only seconds to get the hang of, with literally a 10-second guide to get you started. Its friendly interface even has a drag-and-drop where you can just take any video, drag it and drop it into the program.
If you don’t want to use drag-and-drop, there’s also a way to convert videos via the selection menu. Under this menu, just select the file format you want and the destination where you want your file saved. Click on the “Run” button and you’re good to go!
Free HD Video Converter doesn’t cut corners when it comes to added features even though it’s a free program. It features built-in video editing tools for cutting, cropping, and adding special effects to your videos. Play around with the settings and you might be able to make a profile specially-made for specific playback devices. Once you get the hang of it, you might even be able to customize your output even further.
5. Free Video Converter
If you’re asking “what is the best free video file converter with batch conversion?”, then you should check out Free Video Converter. It’s the way to go if you have tons of videos you don’t want to waste time converting one-by-one. It has an easy-to-use interface and it’s pretty straightforward, too. That means it’s one of the best video converter programs for rookies!
All you need to do is choose the files you wish to convert, select the quality, and you’re good to go. Although, it’s pretty limited as it can only convert to very few file formats namely, AVI, DVD, MPEG, and iOS. It can also convert audio into MP3 files.
While Free Video Converter is totally free, it does have a watermark for free converted videos. If you want to get rid of the watermark, you’ll have to upgrade to premium.
6. Freemake Video Converter
Sometimes people need a more robust option that supports hundreds of file formats with many different functionalities. Enter Freemake Video Converter, a video converter that has years of industry experience with it running for over 9 years and counting.
Freemake Video Converter supports conversion to 500+ formats including DVD, AVI, WMV, MP4, MP3, and even iPhone and Android. In addition to cross-platform support, it can even automatically upload files to iTunes or iOS for Apple users. That’s a bonus if you’re within the Apple ecosystem!
Moreover, Freemake Video Converter has many tools under its belt. It’s a video converter that can convert to DVD and vice versa, along with burning capabilities. Freemake Video Converter can even make slideshows of photos or even embed videos to webpages. Perhaps best of all, it also includes video editing/modification capabilities (trimming, adding subtitles, cutting, joining, and more).
If you’re going to use a video converter often, this one’s highly recommended with the ability to create an account. The advantage of having an account is that it saves your info for later use. Although you’ll have to wait 3 days after making an account to unlock some of the features. Overall, though, it’s one of the best.
7. HandBrake
What is the best free video converter for Windows? What is the best video converter for Mac? How about Linux? If you work on multiple operating systems, it can be hard to keep track of what video converter is compatible with which operating system. Why not skip all these questions and get an all-around video converter compatible for all 3 platforms? That’s exactly what HandBrake is — a video converter for all major operating systems.
If you’re on Mac, then maybe you’ve heard of HandBrake before. It’s pretty well-known on the Mac side of the world. HandBrake is a handy multi-platform video converter tool with tons of advanced control features and quick presets. You can crop, adjust frame rate, or even add advanced filtering to all the videos you choose to convert. It even has preset for those who don’t want to think too much about manual customization.
HandBrake’s only flaw is that it has a utilitarian design and isn’t as easy to use as other programs. However, it’s well worth the effort to learn how to use it because it’s a great choice for multi-platform users. It also boasts support for multiple output file formats so if you’re interested, definitely give it a try.
8. Movavi Video Converter
Sometimes video converter programs can be a bit slow. Instead of searching for “how to speed up any video converter”, why not get something a bit more speedy overall? In that case, you should check out Movavi Video Converter.
First, let me get this out of the way: Movavi is a paid software. That’s what it takes when you want a speedy, high-quality video converter. However, it does come with a 7-day free trial for you to test it out (note that the trial only allows for converting the first half of video files). If you like what you see and you do decide to purchase Movavi, then you’ll be in for a real treat.
Movavi has a very high-quality output — higher than most programs. It can convert up to 4K in resolution and it’s pretty fast overall. But that’s not all. If you expect a paid program to offer you more than just the basics, you are correct. Movavi has a good amount of presets for customization so you won’t have to go through the trouble of editing. It also supports the most-used file formats like AVI, MPG, MOV, and MP4 (with 17 supported output formats in total).
It’s a little pricey as the video converter’s price is at $39.95 for a one-year license or $49.95 for a lifetime purchase. However, if you are in need of a good video converter program that outputs in 4K, it’s worth the price. Movavi is available for both Mac and Windows so it should cover the operating systems most professionals use.
9. Online Video Converter
Sometimes all people want is to just quickly convert a video without any bells or whistles. A simple, quick, and easy video converter for when you’re in a hurry. If that’s you, then look no further than OnlineVideoConverter (OVC). It’s completely free and super easy to use.
All you have to do is paste the URL or upload the file, set the quality, and then click “start”. Simple as that. It supports multiple file-formats including the most commonly used ones (MP4, AVI, AAC, MP3, and MKV). If you’re not familiar with this kind of stuff, don’t worry. What is the best video converted file format? Just use MP4 since it’s mostly compatible with most operating systems and media players.
The quality of converted videos isn’t bad either given that it’s free. If you don’t know the first thing about online video converter programs then this one’s definitely a great one to start out with. It’s best for beginners who don’t know how to use any video converter or haven’t used them that much.
10. Prism
If you want to know what is the best video converter for Mac, then look no further: Prism has you covered. It’s a video converter, a DVD converter, and even a video editing program all in one package.
If you work with most major file formats (AVI, MP4, MOV, etc.) then you should be at ease knowing Prism supports all of them. From being an MP4 converter to converting outright Youtube videos into DVDs — Prism can do it all. All that with zero video converting experience to boot!
Just add the file/DVD, select which format you want, and then select “Convert”. It’s pretty fast, too, taking only 15 minutes to convert 1TB of VOD files. That’s nuts! It’s pretty easy to use as well with a drag-and-drop system that’s great for rookies.
Prism’s added features like video editing, effects, and video trimming all contribute to why it’s the best video converter for MacOS. You can add watermarks, overlay text, trim or rotate videos, and even add effects. Adjust the brightness, contrast, or even add filters all within the program itself. It even has unrivaled audio control options when converting. The only downside to prism is that it’s paid ($35). However, if you want all the bells and whistles, it’s certainly worth the price.
11. VideoProc
VideoProc is one of the best-paid video converters available on both Mac and Windows. With the support of up to 8K resolution, it’s definitely a behemoth of a video converter good for professional use.
8K support isn’t the only good feature VideoProc has (although it’s definitely one of the highlights). VideoProc is speedy and also has a recording feature, video editing tools, and support for more than 70 file formats. With VideoProc, you can crop, cut, edit, flip, snapshot, merge, and even correct fisheye in your videos. That’s a lot more than most dual-use video converting-video editing programs. Some of the features are even specifically designed for GoPro users (the deshake and denoise features, specifically).
If you’re a beginner, VideoProc is also very easy to use the tool. However, being a beginner might mean you’re not willing to shell out money just yet. No worries. If you’re unsure, you can try out VideoProc’s free trial version. And it’s not like the other trial versions, either. The only limitation the trial version has is that it can only convert videos of up to 5 minutes. Check it out to see if it suits your needs.
12. Wondershare
Lastly, Wondershare is one of the best-paid converters for Windows and Mac with good quality speed. It’s not the cheapest, but it is still one of the best options.
What’s good about Wondershare is that it isn’t just a video converter. It’s also a disc burner, a screen recorder, and a downloader so buying it gives you multiple uses. Additionally, Wondershare boasts added features like editing tools, device profile configurations, 4K video conversion capabilities, and support for 35 formats.
It’s also user-friendly — great for beginners and advanced users alike. If you aren’t convinced, there’s a free trial with multiple limitations (like converting only a third of your video, slow speeds, and more). However, it should be good enough to give you a feel for what it’s like to use. Should you decide to purchase it, their paid plans start at $39.95 for a full year license on PC.
Conclusion
If you’ve been having a hard time trying to convert your files, a good converter can save you the headache. While free ones are great options for basic use-cases, paid ones are also good considerations for more professional use. But whether you’re just casually converting files or a professional dealing with different file types, there’s certainly a good converter out there for you.
