The best free DVD rippers make it simple and easy for making backups of your favorite movies and your most important data.
The best DVD ripper tools do what they say on the tin: rip DVD content so you can save it digitally, making them perfect for backing up old home movies, work files, or beloved movies and TV and film collections. When these tools are free - they're even better.
So, we've compiled a list of our top recommendations for the best free DVD rippers, which should include at least one option that suits your needs.
Our consistent number one pick for the best free DVD ripper is Handbrake, powerful open-source software that lets you save video content in virtually any format. With no limits on file counts or the length of saved videos, it's the most effective free option available.
However, Handbrake is a complex piece of software and isn't the most friendly to new users. As such, it may not be the best choice for you. But don't despair. We've tested and reviewed various DVD-ripping programs and collated the best below to give you some great options.
Make sure to check intellectual property law in your country before you rip DVDs, though. Like CDs, no international copyright laws cover free DVD rippers, so make sure it's legal where you live.
Also, make sure it's definitely DVD rippers you're looking for and not the best free DVD burners, which do the opposite, letting you write video content onto physical DVDs - which is still very handy.
The best free DVD rippers so far
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Best overall
Our top choice, HandBrake, is not only a fantastic free DVD ripper (or video transcoder, as it prefers to be known), but also open source - so it's free in every sense of the word.
HandBrake is – or at least looks – a little more complicated than some others on this list, but don’t let that put you off. By default, there's no support for bypassing copy-protection, but this is something you can get around with a little research (bearing in mind IP laws in your country).
As with other programs, this tool has several presets ready for you to choose from, but you can also manually tailor each ripping session if you prefer. If you're working with ISO images or disc folders, it's possible to queue up multiple encoding jobs to run consecutively to save having to be around when each finishes. The sheer level of control makes HandBrake well worth a try.
For the very best output, we found that you need to manually work through several settings. However, with a little patience and some practice, the results make it really worthwhile.
Read our full HandBrake review
Best for beginners
You can use WinX DVD Ripper to rip directly from DVDs, but it also works with ISO images and folders of DVD files. During testing, we found it an utter delight to use, with an easy-to-understand interface that shouldn't feel intimidating to even beginner users.
Once your input has been analyzed – which doesn't take long – you can pick from a raft of ready-made profiles. These profiles help you quickly output a video suitable for playback on specific mobile devices or Facebook, for example. You can rip the built-in subtitles or embed your own and select which audio tracks should be included; it's all beautifully simple and fast.
When you install the free version of WinX DVD Ripper, you'll notice that it's the Platinum Edition in trial mode. This trial lacks a few of the features found in the premium version (mainly speed-related and a couple of specific DRM cracks), but you'll still have the best free DVD ripper on your hands that you can use indefinitely.
Read our full WinX DVD Ripper Free Edition review
Best basic
Freemake is synonymous with powerful, high-quality freeware, and Freemake Video Converter doesn't let the side down. Its free DVD ripper boasts a clean interface that we found to be a joy to use during our tests, and you're never left feeling in any doubt about what to do.
Fire up the software, switch to the DVD section, and choose your drive from the list. After disc analysis, you need to indicate which video tracks you're interested in. You can even take things a step further and clip video segments to rip rather than grabbing the whole thing. Shortcuts at the bottom of the screen provide access to popular output formats (AVI, MKV, device-specific formats); just make your selection, hit 'Convert,' and you're done.
Unfortunately, although it doesn't contain extra bundled software, the latest version of Freemake Video Converter adds a watermark to ripped videos. If you can live with that, it's one of the most convenient DVD rippers around.
Read our full Freemake Video Converter review
Best for Blu-ray
If you've used free DVD-ripping software before, MakeMKV might look a little familiar – it bears more than a passing resemblance to DVD Decrypter. In addition to handling DVDs, the program can rip Blu-ray discs, and the process works in exactly the same way in each case (although it's worth noting that Blu-ray ripping is only free while the program is in beta).
What we appreciate most about the MakeMKV is that there is so little to think about, and it's packed with thoughtful touches to make your life easier. Fire up the program, analyze your disc, choose which tracks you would like to rip, indicate where the output file should be saved, and then hit the 'Make MKV' button. That's all there is to it. There's no messing about, no complex configuration – just analyze, rip, and go.
Bear in mind, however, that the free version is only available for 30 days, offering a 30-day trial. After that, you need to purchase it or sign up for a subscription.
Read our full MakeMKV review
Best for speed
DVDFab is a bit unusual, as the full DVDFab suite isn't free of charge, but its DVD-ripping component is. When you download the software, it installs as a trial version, but the DVDFab HD Decrypter – which you need for DVD and Blu-ray ripping – remains free forever.
While it is among the best free DVD rippers out there, we found the free portion limited during testing, allowing you to rip discs in Full Disc or Main Movie modes only. So, the free version is nowhere near as versatile as the other programs we've covered here, but it still has its place.
For example, it can be useful if you want to extract video files from a disc and maintain their original formats when transferring them to your hard drive. You're then free to import the files into another program for further work or to use your favorite DVD software to watch the videos without needing a disc.
Read our full DVDFab HD Decrypter review
FAQs
How to choose the best free DVD ripper for you
First things first: when choosing the best free DVD ripper, ensure it's compatible with your current operating system. Most of the free ones available are designed for the Windows operating system. So, if you've got a Mac, you need to check if there's a Mac version available. If not, you'll have to find another option.
If it's your first time ripping DVDs, user-friendliness is a top priority, so choose a ripping program that's incredibly simple to use - but doesn't sacrifice handy features. Ready-made profiles will be useful, as are different available video formats.
Being able to crop and trim videos, choose which audio and subtitle streams to include, and adjust settings such as resolution and frame rate are not always on hand. So, if you need these functionalities, make sure they are available with your choice.
How we test
We put each DVD ripper program through its paces. We use each much like a regular user would, utilizing different sources, ripping options, and formats available. We also test its prominent features and user-friendliness. Because some of the free DVD rippers are only free for a limited amount of time or have limited functionality, we also gather that information and share it with our readers.
Read more on how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar
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