While streaming dominates the media landscape, physical DVD collections remain a treasure trove of high-quality, exclusive content. However, as modern devices drop optical drives, digitizing your library has become a necessity. In 2026, the best DVD rippers do more than just convert discs; they leverage GPU acceleration to transform legacy DVDs into high-definition MP4, MKV, or HEVC files flawlessly. This guide reviews the top 9 DVD ripping tools for Windows and macOS to help you preserve your collection with 1:1 original quality.
Part 1: Quick Summary of the 9 DVD Ripper Software
We've tested 50+ different DVDs (including the latest encryption methods) on Windows 11 and macOS 26 and lower operating systems. Finally, we select the 9 best paid and free DVD rippers below. They can easily digitize DVDs with seamless and stable performances.
| Software | Ripping Speed | Decrypt DRM | Key Output Formats |
| AVAide DVD Ripper | Ultra-Fast (30X GPU acceleration) | Yes (All Types) | MP4, MKV, MOV, 4K HEVC |
| HandBrake | Moderate | No | MP4, MKV, WebM |
| WinX DVD Ripper | Fast (GPU acceleration) | Yes | MP4, AVI, iPhone, Android |
| MakeMKV | Fast | Yes | MKV Only |
| DVDFab DVD Ripper | Fast | Yes | MP4, MKV, MP3, ISO |
| VLC Media Player | Slow | Limited | MP4, OGG, WebM |
| WonderFox DVD Ripper | Fast | Yes | 500+ Formats & Devices |
| Freemake Video Converter | Moderate | No | MP4, AVI, WMV |
| MediaCoder | Moderate | No | Comprehensive Transcoding |
Part 2: Detailed Review of the 9 DVD Ripper Software
Top 1. AVAide DVD Ripper (Best for Decryption)
Price: Free plan; Starting from $25.60 for purchase
System: Windows 11/10/8/7, macOS 10.12 or above (highly support macOS Tahoe)
AVAide DVD Ripper stands out as a top-tier solution for digitizing legacy media with modern efficiency. It distinguishes itself through advanced hardware acceleration (NVIDIA/Intel/AMD), making it a leader in bulk ripping speed—even for massive DVD libraries. While beginners will appreciate the sleek, intuitive interface, advanced users can leverage a suite of built-in editing tools and flexible output settings to upscale videos to 4K or encode them in the storage-efficient HEVC (H.265) format without losing a single frame of detail.
FREE DOWNLOAD For Windows 7 or later
Secure Download
FREE DOWNLOAD For Mac OS X 10.13 or later
Secure Download- Pros
- Rip homemade DVDs and handle encrypted DVDs easily.
- Enhance video resolution up to 4K.
- Extract audio tracks from DVDs flawlessly.
- Support a wide range of video output formats.
- Bypass copyright protection.
- Include lots of bonus features.
- Cons
- After the free trial, you need to purchase a license.
Here are the basic steps to rip a DVD with AVAide DVD Ripper:
Step 1Load a DVD
Put a video DVD into your device. Go to the Load DVD > Load DVD Disc, and choose your disc. Next, click the Full Title List button, and select the desired titles; otherwise, the software will rip all titles.
Step 2Set the output format
Click the Output Format dropdown button and then head to the Video tab, select a proper output format, and pick a preset, like HD 1080p MP4.
Step 3Rip the DVD
Click the Save to button to choose a destination folder and click the Rip All button to rip your DVD.
Top 2. HandBrake (Free with high customization)
Price: Free
System: Windows 10/11, Mac OS X 10.13 and higher, Linux
HandBrake is a premier open-source, multi-platform video transcoder capable of converting DVDs, Blu-ray discs, and virtually any video file. Compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux, HandBrake DVD ripper is a powerhouse for users seeking granular control over their digital media. However, it is important to note that HandBrake DVD ripper cannot natively decrypt copy-protected commercial DVDs; it requires third-party libraries (such as libdvdcss) to do so. While its interface offers an extensive array of professional presets and advanced video encoding options (including H.265 and AV1 support), the sheer depth of settings may present a steep learning curve for beginners.
- Pros
- Rip homemade DVDs quickly.
- Preview movies with the built-in media player.
- Rip DVDs for portable devices.
- Offer lots of custom options.
- Cons
- It cannot handle encrypted DVDs.
- The setup is a bit complex.
Top 3. WinX DVD Ripper (Best for fast ripping)
Price: Free usage available, purchase Platinum version starting with $39.95
System: Windows 10/11; macOS 10.13 and higher
WinX DVD Ripper is widely recognized for its exceptional performance in bypassing tough DVD copy protections, such as 99-title discs and regional locks. While often associated with Windows, a dedicated version for macOS is also highly popular. Its standout feature is its Level-3 Hardware Acceleration technology, which leverages your PC's NVIDIA, Intel, or AMD GPU to deliver blazing-fast ripping speeds without compromising output quality. While the free DVD ripper limits conversions to 5 minutes, its premium version, WinX DVD Ripper Platinum, offers over 350 optimized profiles and the ability to seamlessly embed SRT subtitles into your digital files. If you want the Mac version, you need resort to MacX DVD Ripper Pro.
- Pros
- Bypass encryption and protection on DVDs.
- Offer more than 350 presets.
- Speed up the process with GPU acceleration.
- Remove DRM.
- Cons
- It does not support 2FA.
- The built-in video editor is pretty basic.
Top 4. MakeMKV (Best for 1:1 lossless ripping)
Price: Free in Beta
System: Windows XP and higher, Mac OS X 10.7 and higher, Linux
MakeMKV is the gold standard DVD ripper software for purists who demand 1:1 lossless digitization of their physical media. Unlike other tools that re-encode video (potentially losing quality), MakeMKV preserves the original video, audio tracks (including HD audio/DTS-HD), and all metadata by wrapping them into a high-fidelity MKV container. While the software remains in a perpetual Beta, it is remarkably stable and offers a fully functional free trial (via regularly updated forum keys). Its primary focus is accuracy rather than versatility; therefore, it lacks built-in editing or compression features, making it a dedicated tool for those who prioritize quality over file size. Also, it doesn't have hardware decoding, as it only remuxes DVDs to MKV. However, it will make it a slow DVD ripper.
- Pros
- Rip any DVDs including encrypted ones.
- Free to download and use.
- Offer three ways to load a DVD.
- Support for 4K BDAV discs.
- Cons
- It can only convert DVDs to MKV files.
- It lacks preview functionality.
- No hardware decoding or encoding.
Top 5: DVDFab DVD Ripper (Best for all-in-one disc management)
Price: Purchase starting from $59.49
System: Windows 7/8/8.1/10/11, macOS 10.10 or above
DVDFab DVD Ripper is a premium, heavy-duty solution available for both Windows and macOS (including native support for Apple Silicon). More than just a simple Windows or Mac DVD ripper, it is a versatile multimedia suite that integrates advanced video editing, metadata syncing, and its signature Enlarger AI technology, which can upscale low-resolution DVD content to 1080p or 4K. While it is a powerhouse for vloggers and media enthusiasts, it offers granular control, allowing users to rip specific chapters, audio tracks, or subtitles with ease. Its primary drawback remains its premium pricing, but for those who require the fastest decryption and cutting-edge GPU acceleration, it is an investment in unrivaled quality.
- Pros
- Rip DVDs in HD videos.
- Batch process multiple videos.
- Upload videos to social media.
- Integrate hardware acceleration.
- Cons
- It's an all-in-one disc management tool that have some features you may not need.
- It's a heavy DVD ripper program.
Top 6: VLC Media Player (Best for standard output settings)
System: Windows, macOS, and Linux
System: Windows, Mac OS 10.7.5 and later, Android
VLC Media Player is one of the most popular media players around the world. It also has a professional and effective media converter feature, dealing with digital media and physical media. It is the best free and open-source DVD ripper if you only want a simple but standard output settings, like MP4 with H.264 codec. Moreover, it can rip DVD discs, ISO images, and folder (Video_TS or Audio_TS).
While it excels at Hardware-Accelerated Decoding for smooth playback, its ripping process primarily relies on the CPU, lacking the robust GPU hardware encoding (like NVENC or QuickSync) found in dedicated rippers like AVAide or WinX. For users looking to digitize a single, unprotected disc without installing new software, VLC is a convenient, free DVD ripper. However, for bulk ripping or handling encrypted commercial DVDs, its complexity and slower software-based encoding make it less ideal for high-performance workflows.
- Pros
- Support excellent file formats.
- Expandable with plugins.
- Offer simple but standard output presets.
- It can help you record online videos.
- Cons
- Doesn't work well on GPU re-encoding.
- The conversion/ripping feature is not easy to find on this free DVD ripper.
Top 7. WonderFox DVD Ripper
Price: Free usage available, purchase starting from $29.95
System: Windows 7/8/10/11
WonderFox DVD Ripper Pro is a powerful, Windows-exclusive solution tailored for users who prioritize speed and massive format support. While it lacks a macOS version, this DVD ripper software compensates with a highly optimized engine that can bypass almost any DVD region code or CSS protection in seconds. Its standout feature is its ability to compress large DVD files into high-quality, storage-friendly formats without noticeable artifacts. For Windows users with extensive libraries, WonderFox offers a reliable balance of GPU hardware acceleration and a vast library of 500+ optimized profiles for everything from the latest smartphones to legacy home theater systems.
- Pros
- Rip DVDs quickly.
- Produce impeccable video quality.
- Support numerous formats.
- Offer advanced tools.
- Cons
- It is not available on Mac.
- The free trial has limitations.
Top 8. Freemake Video Converter
Price: Free; purchase starting from $39.95
System: Windows Vista/7/8/8.1/10/11
Freemake Video Converter is a very easy-to-use top-rated DVD ripping software for Windows 11/10. It has a very simple interface with an easy workflow. With hardware acceleration and decent decryption methods, Freemake can quickly and easily rip your DVDs. However, this DVD ripper doesn't support H.265 or AV1 output codecs. You can only choose H.264 to rip physical discs to modern digital formats like MP4 and MKV, which means the output video files will have larger sizes compared with newer codecs.
- Pros
- Rip DVDs for portable devices.
- Add subtitles to digital videos.
- Support many output formats.
- Offer plentiful presets.
- Cons
- It has not been updated for years.
- The free version can handle one disc.
Top 9. MediaCoder (Best for legacy Windows PCs)
Price: Free
System: XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10
MediaCoder is a high-performance, open-source DVD ripper software designed for advanced users who crave granular control on legacy PCs like Windows 7. While its interface is unapologetically technical and Windows-only, it excels at converting unprotected DVD folders into highly optimized digital formats and rip DVDs with subtitles. By leveraging GPU hardware acceleration and a vast array of specialized codecs, this free DVD ripper offers unparalleled flexibility for fine-tuning bitrates and resolutions, though its complexity makes it a pros-only tool compared to modern alternatives like AVAide.
- Pros
- Open source and free to use.
- Convert between popular video and audio formats.
- Include numerous custom options.
- Preview DVD videos.
- Cons
- It is only available to limited devices.
- The interface looks messy.
Part 3: FAQs of DVD Ripper
Is it legal to rip copy-protected DVDs for personal use?
Legally, the situation is a gray area that varies by region. In the United States and many other countries, bypassing Digital Rights Management (DRM), even on a disc you own, technically violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). However, authorities generally do not target individuals who rip their own purchased DVDs strictly for personal, private use (such as backup or mobile viewing) without redistributing the content. While technically a format-shifting violation, it is widely considered a low-risk activity as long as the copyrighted material is not shared or used for commercial gain.
What is the best format to rip a DVD to without losing quality?
MKV supports lossless ripping. However, the original quality of a DVD is dated compared with today's 1080p, 2K, and even 4K resolutions. Therefore, you can use AVAide DVD Ripper to rip your DVD to a modern high-quality format with AI upscaling.
What is the best program to rip DVDs?
Finding the best DVD ripper depends on whether you prioritize 1:1 original quality, ease of use, or powerful editing and compression. AVAide DVD Ripper is the best overall and easiest DVD ripper. You can use it to quickly rip DVDs without restrictions.
Now, you should learn the top 9 best DVD ripping software available on Mac and Windows. Some of them are free to use, like MakeMKV. Others require a license. You can get an appropriate tool according to your situation. AVAide DVD Ripper is the best option for average people since it is versatile and easy-to-use simultaneously.
Best tool for ripping and converting DVD Disc/Folder/ISO image file into over various formats.
