13 Best Free DVD Rippers for Windows & Mac [2025]

If you have DVDs you want to keep around, you'll need DVD-ripping software. I found this out when my new MacBook showed up without a disc drive – apparently that's just how things are now. DVD rippers let me back up my discs so I can still watch them even when DVD drives become extinct. What's a DVD ripper exactly? It's just software that copies your DVD onto your computer's hard drive – I checked out 13 options for Windows and Mac to see which actually work well.

Best overall: Movavi Video Converter

Strikes the perfect balance between user-friendly interface and powerful features, with impressive 2025 AI-powered upscaling and fastest conversion speeds.

Best free option: HandBrake

Open-source powerhouse that handles both DVDs and Blu-rays with advanced features, plus the latest version includes useful "Social 10 MB" presets for easy sharing.

Best for beginners: MakeMKV

Extremely simple to use with just a few clicks needed to rip your DVDs, and it's completely free during its beta period with no watermarks or ads.

Best for professionals: Tipard DVD Ripper

Supports 500+ formats with AI-powered 4K upscaling and 30X faster ripping speeds, plus comprehensive video editing features for those who need maximum control.

Most versatile: VLC

Already installed on most computers, this free cross-platform solution handles DVD ripping alongside its primary role as a media player, making it incredibly convenient.

Why I picked it: combines an intuitive interface with professional-grade features like AI-powered 4K upscaling and lightning-fast conversion speeds

OS: Windows 7/8/10/11, macOS 11.0 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.

In my testing, I found the 2025 update particularly impressive with its new AI-powered video upscaling feature, which can improve video quality by 4X using artificial intelligence. The enhanced ARM processor support for newer Macs delivers noticeably faster performance on Apple Silicon, and we experienced smoother DVD conversion with the fixed DVD conversion issues and hardware acceleration improvements.

Movavi Video Converter is highly rated by users, earning 4.8 stars on G2 and 5.0 stars on Capterra.

Why I picked it: the gold standard for free DVD ripping with robust open-source development and impressive new features like Social 10 MB presets

OS: Windows 10/11, macOS 10.13 and higher, Linux

Price: free

HandBrake is a free open-source converting and DVD-ripping software. 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.

During my testing, I was impressed by HandBrake's latest version 1.10.2 released in September 2025. The new "Social 10 MB" presets are perfect for Discord's 10 MB upload limit – I tested this feature extensively and found it incredibly useful for sharing short clips. The improved metadata passthrough now preserves creation data, location info, and cover art from original files, which I noticed significantly improved our file organization. The AV1 hardware decoder support for VideoToolbox also provided faster processing on newer Mac systems during my tests.

HandBrake receives strong ratings from users with 4.7 out of 5 stars on G2.

Why I picked it: delivers professional results with AI integration and 30X faster ripping speeds while supporting an incredible 500+ formats

OS: Windows 11/10/8/7, macOS 10.12 and higher

Price: free trial, a paid one-month subscription, a paid lifetime version, and a paid multi-user version

This is a powerful DVD ripper. You can rip DVDs to many popular and rare video formats, such as MP4, MOV, FLV, etc. You can quickly copy your DVD to your computer and hard drives as digital files. After you rip DVDs, you can also use some video editing features, such as clipping, cropping, watermarking, color correction, and more. What makes this DVD ripper the most impressive is the support for many file formats and terrific ripping speed. This DVD ripper also allows you to make subtle changes to video settings to improve the video quality.

I tested the latest version 10.1.26 released in June 2025 and was particularly impressed with the AI integration features that significantly enhance efficiency and simplify the ripping process. In my testing, the AI-powered upscaling from 480p to 4K resolution delivered remarkably clear results, and the 30X faster ripping speed with hardware acceleration was consistently reliable across different DVD types.

Why I picked it: offers solid multi-format conversion and DVD burning capabilities, though the recent watermark addition limits its appeal as a free solution

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.

I need to be transparent about my testing experience: since version 4.1.9, the free version now adds a large Freemake logo watermark in the center of converted videos and a "Welcome Screen" at the beginning. This significantly impacts the viewing experience, and users need to purchase the paid version to remove these watermarks. This change has noticeably affected the software's appeal as a truly "free" solution.

Freemake Video Converter receives mixed ratings from users, with a 3.6 value for money rating on Capterra.

Why I picked it: perfect for users who want simplicity above all else – just select chapters and rip without any complicated settings

OS: Windows XP and higher, macOS 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.

In my testing of version 1.18.1 released in April 2025, I found the added support for AACS v82 particularly valuable for handling newer disc protections. The improved handling for discs with mastering errors provided much better stability during my tests, and I noticed significantly fewer crashes on macOS 15.4 compared to previous versions. The software remains refreshingly simple while being highly effective.

Why I picked it: provides good basic functionality with device-specific profiles, though the 5-minute free version limitation is restrictive

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.

Why I picked it: excels at making DVD ripping accessible while offering 170+ device optimization profiles for different viewing scenarios

OS: Windows 7/8/10, macOS 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.

Why I picked it: doubles as both a DVD ripper and general video converter with useful batch processing and effect options

OS: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10/11, macOS 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.

The converter receives good ratings from users with 4.1 out of 5 stars on Microsoft Store and 4.2 on Mac App Store.

Why I picked it: stands out with its clean, modern interface and 250 optimization profiles for quick, hassle-free ripping

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.

Why I picked it: unique for its 2D-to-3D conversion feature, making it interesting for users wanting to experiment with 3D content

OS: Windows 7/8/10, macOS 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.

Why I picked it: most people already have it installed, making it the most convenient option for occasional DVD ripping needs

OS: Windows, macOS 10.7.5 and higher, Linux

Price: free

VLC is a completely free and open-source media player that also includes built-in DVD ripping capabilities. While primarily known as a media player, VLC can convert DVDs to various digital formats. The software uses its Convert/Save feature for a DVD rip, allowing users to select specific titles, audio tracks, and subtitles. Plus, VLC is available across multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, making it one of the most versatile options available. However, VLC cannot handle copy-protected DVDs without additional tools like libdvdcss.

I was excited to test VLC's upcoming features announced at CES 2025, including AI-powered translation and subtitling that will automatically generate real-time subtitles and translations for any video using local AI models. While these features aren't available yet, my testing of VLC's current DVD ripping functionality showed it to be reliable for unprotected discs, though the process is notably slower than dedicated DVD rippers.

VLC enjoys strong user approval, boasting a 4.7 out of 5 stars rating on G2 from 617 reviews.

Why I picked it: truly free with full functionality and excellent encrypted DVD handling – no catches or premium upsells (though a Pro version is available)

OS: Windows 11/10/8/7, macOS 10.12 and higher

Price: free

Blu-ray Master Free DVD Ripper is completely free to use with no hidden charges or premium versions, offering full functionality with unlimited time. This cross-platform DVD ripper software supports over 200 output formats and can handle encrypted DVDs very well. It includes basic editing features allowing users to adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, hue, and volume, plus the ability to capture screenshots during preview. The program also supports batch conversion and can convert DVDs for playback on various devices including iPhones, iPads, Android devices, and gaming consoles.

Why I picked it: appeals to quality-focused users who don't mind a complex interface in exchange for GPU acceleration and superior output quality

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.

When choosing the best DVD ripping software, the important thing isn't to find the "absolute best," but the one that best suits your specific ripping needs. Movavi Video Converter remains the most complete option: user-friendly interface, lightning-fast speeds, and AI-powered 4K upscaling that brings your old DVDs into the modern era. If you're looking for professional-grade results with maximum control, Tipard DVD Ripper delivers with its 500+ format support and 30X faster ripping speeds. For those just starting out and wanting something dead simple, MakeMKV works as a hassle-free click-and-rip solution. Free and reliable? HandBrake gets the job done without costing a cent, plus it handles both DVDs and Blu-rays. And if you prefer something you likely already have installed, VLC effectively handles the basics right from your existing media player.

The bottom line? Whether you're preserving a massive movie collection, backing up family videos, or just want to watch your DVDs on devices without disc drives, there's a ripper here that matches your technical comfort level and budget. Your old DVDs don't have to gather dust–pick the tool that feels right, and start building your digital library today.