Top 22 Best Free Video Compression Software for Windows/macOS

Here we gather and review Top 22 free video compression software for Windows (10) & macOS. Some are open source video transcoder & compressor, such as Handbrake, some are free online video compressor tools, some are free open source video editor and compression tools. Choose the best free video compression software your prefer to shrink video size without losing quality. Each program comes with detailed guide on how to compress a video Windows 10 or macOS.

Hot search: 15 Best Video Converters to Convert and Compress Video Files

Top 11 Free Video Compression Software for Windows 10

#1. Winxvideo AI

Reasons to Download

• Compress video from GB to MB without noticeable quality loss
• Fast and stable video shrinking process, low CPU usage

Reasons to Avoid

• Only offer basic video editing features

Overview: Winxvideo AI tops the list of the free 4K/HD video compressor for Windows 10/11/8/7. It can reduce video file size with the best balance between video quality and file size thanks to HQ engine, hardware acceleration support, and advanced compression algorithm.

It's the best for those who want to compress 4K/1080p video with highest possible quality kept. The High Quality Engine guarantees minimum quality degradation (roughly 2% quality loss) and the hardware acceleration makes the video compression process smooth and stable without crashing, stuttering, or jerky.

Key Features

• Reduce 90% video size. The intraframe and interframe coding algorithms, and advanced entropy encoding tech maximumly reduce (4K 2160p) video size by up to 90%.
• Compress large videos by adjusting bit rate (CBR to VBR), frame rate 60FPS to 30FPS, 4K to 1080p, trimming, cropping, and more.
• The High Quality Engine can further improve the output compressed video quality.
• 370+ codecs supported! Compress and convert MP4, MKV, M2TS, AVI, WMV, MOV, H264, videos recorded by any cameras.
• Fast high quality compression speed. Level-3 hardware acceleration Intel QSV, NVIDIA CUDA/NVENC and AMD VCE ensures fast speed compressing 8K, 4K, 1080P, 720P videos.

#2. HandBrake

Reasons to Download

• Free and open source
• Various video compression settings and good compression efficiency

Reasons to Avoid

• Complicated settings for beginners

Overview: Handbrake is known as one of the best open-source video transcoder tools, which also works as free video compression software for Windows 10. It enables users to compress video size on Windows 10 without losing quality by lowering down video bit range, frame rate, resolution, resizing, and changing video codec format, together with rich video and audio setting options. The top-rated free video compressor software accepts whatever videos you import, covering MP4, MKV, HEVC, H.264, VP8, VP9, Theora, and more. Handbrake General Presets also includes outputs for different devices, software, processing speed, total bit rate, and file size, such as Fast1080p30, Super HQ 1080p30 Surround.

If you compress a 4K 2160P video to 1080p, the compression speed can be slow on an old computer that doesn't meet hardware acceleration requirements. Video encoder quality vs video file size efficiency, ranked worst to best: VP8, AMD/Intel QSV/NVIDIA NVENC hardware encoder, x264, x265, and VP9. Handbrake shows good video compression efficiency, however, it becomes complicated for beginners to figure out its video and audio setting adjustment.

To get better video compression performance on Windows 10, make sure you update to the latest version of Handbrake - 1.4.0 released on July 18, 2021. The new version of free video compression software for Windows support native 10 and 12-bit video encoding, including HDR10 metadata passthru. You'll get improved hardware accelerated video compression performance on Intel QuickSync, AMD VCN and Qualcomm ARM devices.

Key Features

• Compress videos in virtually all formats. Load any videos to the compressor without worrying about the formats.
• Provide rich setting options to help compress video size, including video dimensions, codec, frame rate, bitrate, quality and so much more.
• Compress large videos in MP4, MKV with H.264, H.265, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, VP8, VP9 and Theora.
• Intel, NVIDIA, and AMD hardware acceleration supported to provide fast video compression speed.

3. FFmpeg

Reasons to Download

• Free and open source
• Video compression efficiency can be high

Reasons to Avoid

• Requires deep learning curve for beginners

Overview: FFmpeg is the best go-to free compressor software for WIndows 10 that can compress video size from GBs to MBs without losing much quality. FFmpeg uses command lines to do the video, audio, and other multimedia settings, such as bit rate, frame rate, container format, codec format, to name a few. The Constant Rate factor (CRF) is the quality setting by default for x264 and x265 encoding. The higher the value, the higher the compression, and more quality loss. The video compression software free can compress a video file from 1 GB to 30 MB.

Below are commands with ffmpeg to compress MP4 video file on Windows 10 and final video size results.

1. ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vcodec h264 -acodec mp2 out.mp4, 2 GB to 380 Mb, great quality
2. ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -s 1280x720 -acodec copy -y output.mp4, 1 Gb to 25 MB, acceptable quality
3. ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vcodec h264 -b:v 1000k -acodec mp3 output.mp4, 1 Gb to 15 Mb, very poor quality

The video compression command line requires a deep learning curve for non-tech savvy users. The free video compression software for Windows 10 may output an even larger file size if you enter an improper command line for codecs, bitrate, container, and fps. Many users are confused about its CRF value, codec, fps, and other settings. Setting the -maxrate and -bufsize to lower down the bit rate and the result is not satisfying. The range of the CRF value is from 0 to 51, 0 is lossless and 51 is the worst quality but the smallest video file size. A lower value of CRF means higher quality but larger file size. Increasing the CRF value +6 result in half of the video file size on Windows 10.

Key Features

• Compress video size from GB to MB without quality loss by dividing target size (in bits) by the video length (in seconds) or setting the video to Constant Rate Factor (CRF) which will lower the average bit rate but with better quality.
• Based on libavcodec, FFmpeg can compress videos to MP4, AV1, HEVC H.265, H.264, VP9, WMV, most other codecs.
• Easily modify the bit rate, video screen size, change profile to baseline, etc.

#4. VLC media player

Reasons to Download

• Support a wide range of video formats
• Direct3D11 and DirectX hardware acceleration

Reasons to Avoid

• Lack of video compression options
• A bit complicated for beginners

Overview: VLC media player is the most welcomed free and open source cross-platform multimedia player that also can work as free video compression software. It's able to shrink videos by converting videos to more advanced codec, lowerding down video resolution, bit rate, and frame rate. Direct3D11 and DirectX hardware accelerated decoding is supported. VLC supports a wide range of formats, including HEVC and other efficient codecs. All these features makes VLC handle 4K vdeo compression better.

The newer version of VLC Media Player, V3.0.17, added support for more formats and fix a D3D11 crash when changing resolution for smaller size on Windows 10. It also improved HEVC hardware decoding on Windows 10. Update to the latest version of the free video compressor software for Windows 10 to enjoy much better compression performance.

You'd better know that VLC can cut video length in a complicated way - recording. It's not a professional free video compressor, don't expect a lot of video compression features or good output quality. The video compression feature is not well designed. It's not easy to get started for beginners who may fail to find out hidden compression features.

Key Features

• Support large videos in almost any formats.
• Compress videos to H.265 HEVC, VP9, H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, etc. in a wide range of video containers.
• Basic options to adjust codec, bitrate, quality, resolutions, and more.
• Support Direct3D11 and DirectX hardware accelerated decoding.

5. Freemake Video Converter

Reasons to Download

• Support 500+ video formats
• Flexible control on video audio settings for smaller file size

Reasons to Avoid

• 4K video compression is slow
• No support for HEVC and AV1 codec

Overview: Freemake Video Converter is the go-to free video compression software for Windows 10 if you are looking for tools to compress videos to other formats. It can handle up to 500+ formats and gadgets and easily compress MKV, MP4, etc. to HEVC H.265, AV1, H.264, more. The free video compressor software offers versatile control on video and audio parameter settings to compress video size on Windows 10, for example, tweak video frame size, bitrate, frame rate, and more for smaller video file size. It's also a good way to cut out unwanted video parts to compress video size, luckily, Freemake comes with such a feature.

Freemake video compressor software fully supports 4K, Full HD 1080p, and HD 720p files from HD cameras, camcorders, and Blu-ray. But without hardware acceleration, 4K/HD videos compression can be slow on Windows 10 or other lower end devices, especially if you want to compress videos to advanced codecs like HEVC and AV1. Slow video compression speed is a big cons. Some users reported that the free video compression software for Windows 10 failed to work on WIndows 10. It puts a watermark on the output compressed video. We did't find any video compression improvement on Windows 10 with the new version.

Key Features

• Flexible video audio parameter settings to adjust frame size, frame rate, bitrate, and more to compress video.
• Cut video to compress video size. This is also a good way to shrink video and Freemake comes with such a feature.
• Support up to 500+ formats and gadgets, easily compress MKV, MP4, etc. to HEVC H.265, AV1, H.264, more.
• Support 4K, Full HD 1080p, and HD 720p files from HD cameras, camcorders and Blu-ray. But without hardware acceleration, compressing 4K/HD videos can be slow, especially if you want to compress videos to advanced codecs like HEVC and AV1.

#6. Free Video Compressor

Reasons to Download

• A few choices for video compression

Reasons to Avoid

• .NET Framework is required

Overview: Free Video Compressor is a lightweight and free video compression freeware designed for Windows 11/10/8/7. It offers support for compressing videos in various formats, including MP4, AVI, WMV, MOV, MKV, FLV, RMVB, RM, and more.

One notable feature is the "Desired Video Size" option, which provides a user-friendly and straightforward approach to video compression. Users can appreciate the availability of video file size settings, including bitrate, duration, format, width, and height (resolution). Additionally, the cutting feature allows users to specify the start and end times of the video, enabling them to directly shorten the video length during compression on Windows 10/8/7. The aspect ratio options of 4:3, 1:1, 16:10, and 16:9 are particularly useful for users looking to compress videos for uploading to platforms like YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other social media websites.

Free Video Compressor utilizes a static build from the FFmpeg project and requires the .NET Framework (Version 1.0) to run on Windows. However, it's important to note that the program may not deliver a stable video compression process. It is prone to crashes, especially when compressing 4K UHD video files. Additionally, there is no evidence to suggest that it is a GPU-accelerated free video compressor specifically designed for Windows 10.

Key Features

• Compress MP4, AVI, WMV, MOV, MKV, FLV, and videos in other commonly used video formats.
• Offer Desired Video Size option for one click straightforward free video compression.
• Change video bitrate, video format, audio format, video aspect ratio, etc. for smaller video size.
• The free video compressor software supports 4:3, 1:1, 16:10, and 16:9.

#7. WinZip

Reasons to Download

• Zip and unzip video files for sharing, uploading, and emailing
• Compress and share video files to iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive and ZipShare

Reasons to Avoid

• The source video file size remains the same

Platform: Windows, macOS.

Overview: WinZip is a video compression software designed for Windows 10/11 that offers the functionality to zip and compress video files and folders, facilitating easier sharing and sending. It supports a wide range of video formats, including MP4, AVI, MKV, WMV, and more. By instantly zipping video files, it reduces their file size without compromising quality. This free video compressor for Windows is particularly useful for sharing, uploading, and emailing videos. Moreover, it provides convenient access to directly share compressed or zipped video files to popular cloud storage services like iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, and ZipShare.

WinZip also offers robust security features, allowing users to protect their files with banking-level AES encryption. To utilize the free video compressor tool, users can select the desired video file or folder, click "Add to Zip," and choose a location to save the compressed video files. Additionally, WinZip offers a macOS version called WinZip 9 Mac.

However, it's important to note that the free version of WinZip has certain limitations and may exhibit virus behaviors, requiring manual deletion of video files. Furthermore, when it comes to compressing MP4 H.264 video files, the zipping method may not yield significant further compression. Additionally, the higher-tier versions of WinZip can be relatively expensive.

Key Features

• One-stop video file compression and management software.
• Compress video files and video file folder in a click.
• Support unzipping more than 17 file formats, zip, encrypt, and share files.

8. Any Video Converter

Reasons to Download

• Easy to use
• No ads, no watermark of free version

Reasons to Avoid

• 100% CPU usage when compressing large (4K) videos

Any Video Converter Freeware is another best video compressor software for Windows 10 that lets you compress videos (including HD and 4K videos) free with limits. No ads, no malware, no watermark. The program supports NVIDIA NVENC, AMD AMF, Intel QSV hardware acceleration, making the video compression process faster. It's very easy to use - does not require much advanced knowledge of codecs and video parameters for video compression. It has intuitive interface and user friendly.

However, some users reported that it runs almost 100 percent cpu and memory, which is terrible. If you need to do some compression with DVDs, you should pay $49.95 for its advanced version to get DVD functions. The free video compressor software for Windows 10 doesn't work with webm files. The highest bit-rate is 160kp, which has side effect on the output video quality. It comes with adware. When installing the tool, keep your eyes open to avoid installing anti-virus software or other adware. There's no update in the recent two years.

Key Features

• Support 100+ inputs, 160+ outputs. Easily compress videos to HEVC codec.
• Crop, trim, adjust the video codecs, dimension, bitrate, frame rate, sample rate, channel, video/audio quality, and more.
• Fast MP4 video compression speed with the support to NVIDIA NVENC, AMD AMF, Intel QSV hardware acceleration.

#9. XMedia Recode

Reasons to Download

• Support tons of video formats

Reasons to Avoid

• Few video compression options
• Can't run on Windows 11, macOS

Overview: XMedia Recode is a user-friendly and free video compressor designed for Windows 7, 8.1, 8, and 10. It offers extensive format support, including advanced codecs such as H.265 and VP9, enabling users to compress videos using more efficient codecs with smaller file sizes. The software also supports batch video compression, allowing users to compress multiple videos simultaneously. The latest version, XMedia Recode 3.5.5.5, features updates to ffmpeg, AOM AV1 (3.3.0)/x264/SVT-AV1 codecs.

It's important to note that XMedia Recode does not offer true GPU hardware acceleration, which can result in longer compression times for high-resolution 4K videos. Additionally, the free video compressor is not available for Windows 11 and macOS. Users seeking a free video compressor for Windows 11 or macOS will need to explore alternative tools. The software's interface may appear intimidating to some users, with complex and less user-friendly settings.

The newer versions of XMedia Recode have been reported to crash more frequently, particularly when compressing HD video files. The software's instability and bugs have been major points of complaint from XMedia Recode users. It's worth mentioning that the compression process on Windows using XMedia Recode can be slower compared to other free video compressors, taking several hours to complete a 1.5GB video compression task.

Key Features

• Options to adjust video and audio parameters video codec, video bitrate, audio bitrate, frame size, scaling, resolution, fps.
• Offers all the advanced filtering options that only Handbrake has, such as cropping, rotating, deinterlacing, and more.

#10. VSDC Free Video Converter

Reasons to Download

• Free and easy to use

Reasons to Avoid

• The interface is ugly
• Doesn't support HEVC, VP9

Overview: VSDC Free Video Converter is a straightforward and free video compression software exclusively available for Windows. It allows users to compress videos by converting them to different codec formats and performing basic editing tasks. By converting videos and eliminating unnecessary fragments, users can achieve smaller video file sizes. The software effectively combines the functions of a video converter and a video trimmer, enabling users to reduce video sizes on Windows while minimizing quality loss. Notably, it can compress a 1GB video to 650MB with acceptable quality.

However, it's important to acknowledge that VSDC Free Video Converter appears to be an older video transcoder and compressor that lacks regular updates. The user interface may be considered unappealing, and advanced video codecs like HEVC are not supported. Furthermore, the software does not offer GPU acceleration, resulting in performance issues when compressing 4K/HD video sizes, particularly on Windows 10 or lower-end Windows devices. It's worth mentioning that the developers of VSDC now focus primarily on VSDC Free Video Editor rather than the video converter.

For users seeking a free video compressor, there are better options available, such as HD Video Converter Deluxe and Handbrake, which offer more advanced features and improved performance.

Key Features

• Has a huge number of presets covering all formats and multimedia devices. However, it doesn't support any newer codecs like HEVC, VP9, or others that have higher efficiency.
• Easy to split it up into several parts and delete any fragment of a video.
• Applies high-quality video processing algorithm for high quality and multiple processors for fast speed.

#11. Simple Video Compressor

Reasons to Download

• Free and easy to use
• Video compression through FFMPEG

Reasons to Avoid

• Lacks regular updates
• Low compression efficiency

Overview: The Simple Video Compressor lives up to its name by offering straightforward video compression through FFMPEG optimization. Acting as a user-friendly wrapper for FFMPEG, it simplifies the compression process. Users need only place their media in the input folder, select a CRF value, and confirm if it's a screen recording. The free video compression software efficiently executes the compression, signaling completion and depositing the compressed video in the output file. Originally designed for educators, its uncomplicated interface and efficient compression make it accessible and beneficial for any user seeking hassle-free video compression.

Notably, its features include batch mode, x264 encoding, web-compatible output, and optimized settings for screen recordings, enhancing its versatility and appeal. However, its requirement of 7-Zip for unpacking might pose a minor initial hurdle for some users. Overall, it's valuable free video compressor software for those seeking efficient and simple video compression.

The Simple Video Compressor, despite its user-friendly interface and straightforward compression process, has some drawbacks. Firstly, it lacks regular updates, potentially causing compatibility issues with evolving systems or formats. Additionally, its compression efficiency is relatively lower compared to some advanced video compression software available in the market. The absence of frequent updates might hinder its ability to keep pace with new compression techniques or improvements, potentially limiting its long-term effectiveness. Users seeking the most cutting-edge compression methods or expecting continuous advancements may find this lack of updates a downside to an otherwise handy tool.

Key Features

• Works as a user-friendly wrapper for FFMPEG.
• Batch mode, x264 encoding, web-compatible output, and optimized settings for screen recordings.

See also: Simple Video Compressor Crack Free Download & Key

Top 10 Free Video Compression Software for macOS

#1. iMovie

Reasons to Download

• Straightforward compression options

Reasons to Avoid

• Limited compression features

Platform: macOS (macOS Monterey and earlier)

Overview: iMovie can also serve as free video compression software for macOS. By changing video export settings such as resolution and quality, your video size can be reduced without losing much quality. The resolution and quality settings are availabe on export settings. You can lower 4K or 1080p videos down to 720p, or even lower for smaller file size. Quality settings offer Best, High, Low options. Best means the largest video file size. Keep a good balance between quality and file size according to your needs. Select the video file in the finder and in column view, you should see the exact size of the video file you want to compress.

This free video compressor software is limited to two video tracks. The video formats it accepts are also only friendly with Apple system, such as MOV, M4V. If you want to compress WMV, AVI, or other Windows video formats, you have to switch to other tools. Designed as a video editor for Mac, it may be a bit complicated for novice users to get started.

Key Features

• Support compressing 720p SD, 1080P HD, 4K UHD videos with ease.
• Lower down video resolution and video quality to reduce video size.
• Offer estimated compressed video file size.
• Support various types of video and audio formats.

#2. QuickTime Player

Reasons to Download

• Compress 4K, 1080P to 720p, 480p

Reasons to Use

• Limited video compression options

Platform: macOS (Mojave and earlier)

Overview: When in need of free video compression software for macOS, consider utilizing QuickTime Player, which can serve as the default video compressor for Mac. QuickTime Player offers a simple and straightforward method to reduce video file sizes. It allows users to compress videos by adjusting the resolution and bitrate, offering options such as 720p, 480p, and lower resolutions. By opening QuickTime Player, navigating to File > Export As..., users can access a list of available video resolutions. Choosing the lowest resolution will result in the smallest video size. After selecting the desired resolution, users can rename the video, choose a location to save it, and complete the process. Since QuickTime Player is a pre-installed Mac application, the output video file will be in the MOV format.

It's important to note, however, that QuickTime Player's video compression capabilities are limited compared to feature-rich options like VLC Media Player. QuickTime Player primarily focuses on reducing video file sizes by lowering the resolution and lacks advanced features such as video cutting or trimming. Additionally, one significant limitation of QuickTime Player is that it exclusively exports videos in the MOV format. This format restriction can pose challenges when working with videos on Windows or Android devices that may not natively support MOV files.

Key Features

• Compress MKV, MOV, AVI, FLV, H.264, MPEG4, HEVC, etc. free on Mac.
• Compress and convert videos from 4K, 1080P to 720p, 480p for smaller video size.
• Only offers options to cut video file size down by lowering down video resolution.
• Output videos in MOV format.

#3. Final Cut Pro X Compressor

Reasons to Download

• High video compression efficiency
• Support HDR, HEVC, 360 video, MXF

Reasons to Avoid

• Complicated for noice users

Platform: macOS (Monterey and earlier)

Overview: When it comes to video compression software for macOS, Final Cut Pro X Compressor stands out as the top choice. It seamlessly integrates with Final Cut Pro, allowing users to compress videos into various formats such as HDR, HEVC, 360 videos, MXF, and more, all while delivering exceptional performance and efficiency. This software is specifically designed for scenarios where you need to produce content for different formats or recipients, or when you aim to achieve precise mastering for specific formats. Notably, Final Cut Pro X Compressor supports batch video compression, streamlining the workflow for compressing multiple files simultaneously.

As a free video compressor for macOS, Final Cut Pro X Compressor also includes built-in camera LUTs for popular brands like Panasonic, Sony, Canon, Blackmagic, Nikon, and ARRI. Additionally, it allows users to add custom camera LUTs for personalized color grading. Mac computers with Apple silicon can further benefit from improved video compression performance and efficiency.

Compressor V4.1 and above has a better interface and hardware encoding support for H.264 and Dolby Digital Plus. However, it's worth noting that the free video compressor software for Mac may experience occasional lag, particularly when compressing and exporting large video files. In some cases, it may also encounter crashes during the export process. Another drawback is that navigating through all the compression settings and preferences can be slightly cumbersome, especially for first-time users. Additionally, Final Cut Pro X Compressor only exports videos in Apple's formats, which may disappoint those seeking to export and encode videos into Windows-compatible formats like WMV, AVI, or Adobe's FLV.

Key Features

• There is a batch encoder to produce different sizes for a specific video all at once.
• Supports high-quality output like 4K, HDR, and 360 degrees.
• Compress video video file size quickly without quality loss.

#4. Finder

Reasons to Use

• Compress videos for email, sharing, and storage saving

Reasons to Avoid

• The source video file size remains untouched

Platform: macOS (macOS Monterey and earlier)

Overview: For Mac users seeking an alternative to downloading video compression software, the Finder application provides a convenient solution. By utilizing the built-in zip functionality, Mac users can compress video files to achieve a smaller file size without compromising quality. This approach is particularly useful for tasks such as emailing, sharing, uploading, and saving storage space. Finder supports popular Apple video formats like MOV, MP4, and M4V. One advantage of using the zip method is its simplicity, speed, and lack of file size limitations. Zip compression is a lossless data compression method, ensuring the integrity of the video content.

However, it's crucial to note that unzipping the video file will restore it to its original size. Furthermore, using the zip method with Finder does not provide control over the final video file size or options to modify video length, resolution, bitrate, and other parameters. The compression ratio may not meet expectations, potentially leading to disappointment. If you frequently work with video files, relying solely on the ZIP format may not yield significant file size reduction on Mac. Additionally, it can be frustrating when a .zip file extension becomes unexpectedly corrupted.

Key Features

• Encode video files with Setting options 1080p, 720p, or lower resolution for small files size.
• Zip video files for quick emailing, sharing, uploading, or storage saving.
• Support tons of video file formats, MOV, MP4, M4V, etc. Apple video formats.
• Easy to use. Fast video compression and zipping speed.

#5. VEED.IO

Reasons to Use

• Clean, no ads
• Easy to use, 10 minutes for free

Reasons to Avoid

• Watermark
• Output is limited to 720p, 250MB for free

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

Overview: VEED.IO is a user-friendly and free online video compression software that simplifies the process of compressing videos. It allows users to compress videos that are under 10 minutes in duration and 250MB in size. However, it's important to note that for free users, the compressed videos will include a watermark. Furthermore, the software only exports videos in 720p resolution for non-subscribers. VEED.IO enables users to compress high-resolution videos such as 4K or 1080p to 720p by adjusting the video bitrate and reducing the file size.

The web-based platform of VEED.IO offers additional convenience by allowing users to upload videos from various sources, including video URLs and Dropbox. However, in comparison to FreeConvert, which provides a maximum file size limit of 1GB for free, VEED.IO's 250MB limit can be seen as a drawback, especially for users with large 4K videos to compress. Additionally, the compression ratio of VEED.IO may not match its claimed capabilities. Our tests indicate a reduction in video size ranging from 20% to 40%, meaning it compressed a 100MB video to 60MB-80MB while maintaining good video quality. Currently, it appears that VEED.IO's free video compressor is experiencing a server error, resulting in a blank screen.

Key Features

• Support video files types MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, WMV, and FLV.
• Upload videos from DropBox, computer, and compress video URL.
• Compress videos under 10 minutes and 250MB with watermark, export video in 720p.
• Clean, no ads, no redirects.

#6. FreeConvert

Reasons to Use

• Max 1GB for free
• Clean and well designed website

Reasons to Avoid

• Watermark
• Slow video compression speed

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

Overview: FreeConverter is a top-rated free online video compression software. With web-based free video compressor, you can shrink video size anytime, any place. It requires no registration and has no ads. The max file size it accepts for free users is 1GB, which is quite generous, compared with 200MB-500MB max file size offered by other free online video compressors. Several different compression methods are offered, including Target a file size (Percentage), Target a file size (MB), Target a video quality, Target a video resolution, and Target a max bitrate. It's very convenient to compress video file size on Mac or other platforms by directly dragging the file size or quality bar.

The video upload process may take a long time. 1 minute HD 1080p video normally requires 20 minutes or longer to upload to its server. The targe file size option is good for users who hate to deal with video audio parameter settings. The output compressed video has a watermark on it. It's quite expensive to increase file size limit - the basic plan is priced at $9.99/Month (1.5GB).

Key Features

• Support a wide range of video formats, MP4, MKV, MOV, AVI, WMV, H.264, HEVC, etc.
• Free convert videos to H.264 or HEVC codec with better video compression.
• Offer various compression method, target a file size (percentage or MB), video quality, video resolution, and target a max bitrate.
• Max video file size is 1GB for free.

#7. VideoProc

Reasons to Download

• Fast 4K UHD video compression speed

Reasons to Avoid

• More advanced features require subscription

Platform: Windows, macOS

Overview: VideoProc is a versatile software solution that combines professional video editing and video compression capabilities. It serves as both a video editor and a video converter, allowing users to compress videos effectively. As a free video compression tool available for Windows and macOS, VideoProc excels in reducing video file sizes from gigabytes to megabytes without compromising visual quality. The software achieves this by intelligently trimming video length while maintaining optimal quality.

In addition to video compression, VideoProc offers a range of features for video editing. Users can convert video formats, adjust video bitrate, decrease video resolution, and perform other modifications to optimize the compressed video output. Notably, VideoProc is designed to leverage hardware acceleration, enabling fast compression of 4K/8K UHD videos while minimizing CPU usage.

Overall, VideoProc proves to be a reliable and efficient solution for both video compression and video editing needs. Its hardware acceleration support ensures swift processing, while its comprehensive feature set caters to various editing requirements.

Key Features

• Compress videos to much smaller file size without losing quality.
• Offer lots of video and audio options to shrink video file size easily.
• Compress and edit videos to make stunning videos for sharing and uploading.
• High quality, fast speed, and easy to use.

#8. Shotcut

Reasons to Download

• Offer quite a few video compression and editing options

Reasons to Avoid

• No output options for social media platforms

Platform: Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Overview: When searching for free video compression software, Shotcut is a noteworthy option to consider. Shotcut is widely recognized as a free and regularly updated multi-platform video editing application. However, it also serves as an effective free and open-source video compression software. With Shotcut, users have the flexibility to change video codecs, adjust video quality, and cut/trim videos to reduce their size. This versatile tool is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems.

One of the advantages of Shotcut is that it doesn't require high-end equipment, making it suitable for compressing even 4K video sizes. However, it's important to note that when working with 4K footage, there may be instances of choppy video playback. Additionally, Shotcut lacks specific output options for social media platforms, which may require additional steps for optimal sharing.

Key Features

• Adjust video resolution, quality, codec format, video bitrate, audio bitrate and sample, rate.
• Support various video format types and video in high resolution such as 4K or 8K.
• The open source free video compression software works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

#9. Openshot

Reasons to Download

• Good video compression speed and performance

Reasons to Avoid

• Not easy to get started to compress video

Platform: Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Overview: OpenShot is a free and open-source video compression software that is widely recognized as a capable video editor. Compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux, OpenShot offers a range of features for compressing videos. It provides the ability to quickly trim or cut videos, effectively reducing their size. When it comes to export settings, users have the flexibility to choose the desired video format, lower video quality, lower video resolution, and adjust the video bitrate, enabling efficient video compression across Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms. While OpenShot shares similarities with Shotcut, another free video compressor and cross-platform video editor, it surpasses Shotcut in terms of speed and performance. OpenShot also boasts greater stability compared to other free or open-source video compression software like Handbrake, Freemake Video Converter, Free Video Compressor, and VEED.IO.

However, it's worth noting that processing and compressing large video files, such as a 1GB video, can be time-consuming, sometimes taking hours to complete. Importing large files, particularly those spanning a few hours, may encounter freezing or lagging issues. Additionally, even on high-end devices, the free video compression software may require a significant amount of time to export a video file. There is room for improvement in terms of faster action response to enhance the user experience.

Key Features

• Open source free video compression software and video editor.
• Cross-platform, available on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• Trim or cut videos to compress video size without losing quality.
• Change video format, video resolution, bit rate, and video quality to shrink video size.

#10. Avidemux

Reasons to Download

• HDR video can be converted and compressed to SDR
• Improved Crop and Resizer filters

Reasons to Avoid

• Complicated for noice users

Platform: Windows, macOS, and Linux

Overview: Avidemux is an open-source free video compressor software that offers a range of basic video editing and transcoding capabilities. Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, it provides a user-friendly platform for compressing videos while maintaining high output quality. With Avidemux, you can easily reduce the size of a video by 50%, such as from 20MB to 10MB, without any noticeable loss in quality. The latest version introduces an updated "Resize" filter with a nearest neighbour scaling option, enabling more precise video scaling. Additionally, it allows the conversion and compression of HDR video to SDR with tone mapping. For improved cropping, the "Crop" filter's Auto Crop function delivers better results.

The latest release of this free video compressor software brings notable enhancements to the user interface, as well as an improved cutting tool for video compression. Moreover, when resizing windows, you can now enjoy smoother video zooming. However, it's important to note that Avidemux, known for its video editing capabilities, may require some initial learning. It lacks a central pool for importing video clips for compression and does not provide a timeline with multiple video tracks.

Key Features

• Flexible options to change Audio and Video format settings, and wide range of filters and editing features.
• Include support for Nvidia GPU video encoding to offer fast compressing speed.
• Compress videos into various formats like X264, X264, MPEG4 Lavcodec, Xvid, Divx, FFV1, and several more. However, it doesn't support the latest codecs such as HEVC, AV1, VP9, etc.

#11. Sorenson Squeeze

Reasons to Download

• Dynamic adjustment of bitstream based on network conditions.
• Seamless integration with popular editing software like Avid, Final Cut Pro, and Adobe Premiere.

Reasons to Avoid

• Discontinued by Sorenson in 2019.

Platform: Windows, macOS, and Linux

Overview: Sorenson Squeeze, a versatile video encoding tool for Mac OS X and Windows, offered robust compression and conversion capabilities for both audio and video files. Initially introduced in 2001 as a pioneering variable bit rate (VBR) compression tool for Mac OS X, it expanded to Windows by 2002. Over time, it evolved by adding new codecs and features, catering to web encoding, QuickTime playback, and more. GPU-accelerated H.264 encoding, adaptive bitrate encoding, HD encoding, and Dolby-certified AC3 Audio were among its standout features. Supporting various formats like QuickTime, Windows Media, Flash Video, and more, it employed codecs such as Sorenson codecs, H.265, H.264, among others. The software offered seamless integration with popular editing software like Avid, Apple Final Cut Pro, and Adobe Premiere.

Discontinued in January 2019, Sorenson Squeeze received accolades, including Streaming Media magazine's Readers’ Choice Award for Encoding Software multiple times. However, its discontinuation marked the end of its availability as part of Avid Media Composer. The system requirements for Windows and Macintosh platforms were moderate, catering to both 32- and 64-bit systems. Despite its discontinuation, Sorenson Squeeze stood as a reliable and award-winning tool for efficient video compression and encoding during its operational years.

Key Features

• Enables encoding to various formats including QuickTime, Windows Media, Flash Video, Silverlight, WebM, and WMV.
• Provids native plugins for popular NLEs like Avid, Apple Final Cut Pro, and Adobe Premiere, facilitating seamless integration and workflow.
• Simplified review process allowed secure, password-protected video sharing for immediate feedback via web or mobile.

[Tutorial] How to Compress A Video on Windows 10/11/8/7

Below we take the best HD/4K video compression software as an exmple to show you the steps to reduce video file size. First, you should know that the File Size, Bitrate, Duration, Video Format, Video Bitrate, Audio Format, Audio Bitrate, Video Dimension (Width/Height) will all affect the final video size. Now let's get started.

Free download and install the compression software on PC ( Windows 11/10/8/7)

Free download the video compressor on macOS (macOS 14 and earlier)

Step 1. Load (MP4) video

Click + Video to browse and select MP4 videos for compressing. It enables you to input multiplevideo files for batch shrinking.

Step 2. Choose output file format

This video shrinker comes with hundreds of output profiles for different compression needs. You can compress videos for email, Whatsapp, instant messagers; shrink videos for iPhone, Android; or compress video size for YouTube, Facebook, etc. Here are the best compressing settings:

• MP4 is the most commonly used output format for its high compression rate, good video quality and wide compatibility.
• HEVC/H.265 has 50% smaller size than MP4 without sacrificing video quality.
• To compress videos for YouTube or other websites, you can choose output like FLV from category "Web Video Profile".

Step 3. Drag the compression slider.

Click Compress icon at the bottom of the interface, where you can simply drag the compression slider to reduce video file size. The original file size and output file size will all show up on the screen. You can simultaneously shrink your video file size based on your compression ratio and output file size.

Step 4. Set parameters to compress video.

To get a smaller size, further adjust the video resolution, bit rate and more. The video compression softare offers the following options:

Lower the bit rate 20-50% of the default (don't lower it too much). File size = Bit rate x duration, so Bit rate is an important factor of video file size. You can lower the video audio bit rate to reach small files.

Change video resolution. 640 x 480 is a good option, because it is fit for iPhone, iPad, Android mobile, Microsoft device, and video website like YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo and more. By the way, many users also compress 4K to 1080p for flawlessly playback on desktops.

Step 5. Cut and Crop

Make video smaller by cutting & trimming. If you only need part of the video, just trim it and get a small video. This video compression software allows you to trim video by setting start time and end time. You can find the Cut option after clicking Edit button.

Resize video by cropping. In front of Trim tab, there's a tab named Crop. Click that tab, check Enable Crop, and then you can drag the border in preview window or press the up and down arrows of Left, Width, Top, and Height to cut off unwanted area.

Step 6. Begin compressing video.

Hit RUN button at the lower right corner of the interface and the tool's compression engine will go into action. On average, it's able to compress a video size by 40%-90%, for example, a 4K video can be compressed from 1.5GB to 637MB without visual quality loss.

Video Tutorial of How to Compress Video without Losing Quality

FAQs on Best Free Video Compressor Software

1. Which software is best for video compression?

Winxvideo AI, HandBrake, Freemake Video Converter, FFmpeg, Any Video Converter, VLC media player, XMedia Recode, VSDC Free Video Converter, Final Cut Pro X Compressor, Avidemux, FreeConvert, VEED.IO, iMovie, QuickTime Player, Finder, Free Video Compressor, VideoProc, Winzip, Shotcut, Openshot. Some are paid, some are free, some are open source.

For novices, a simple-to-operate utility is more suitable for them, while the professionals can choose a relatively complicated and powerful one. Firstly, a great video compression tool is decided by many factors, including supported OS, acceptable input sources, support output file formats, compression ratio, output quality, available video audio parameter settings, help and support, usability and stability, speed, etc. Among all these, compression ratio and output quality are undoubtedly two of crucial importance. Winxvideo AI can compress video size from 1GB to 10MB with High Quality Engine helping reserve the best possible quality. It tops the list of best video compressor software.

2. Is video compression lossy or lossless?

It depends on the way you choose to compress. If you choose to decrese the video size by changing the video formats, lowering the bit rate, or resolution, there will be quality loss. There are two methods to compress videos lossless without quality loss: split a long and large video into smaller pieces, and remove unwanted parts from the video, such as the beggining, ending, ads, etc.

3. What's the best format to compress a video?

It also depends on what you're going to do with the output video. For example, if you shrink the video because you want to publish it online, then web-friendly formats like MP4, FLV, and WMV are recommended. If you need to compress a 4K MP4 video, you can select HEVC H.265 or AV1. They have better compression efficiency at the same quality level.

4. What is the best way to compress videos?

To compress video size, you can change the video codec format to a much efficient one, such as converting H.264 to H.265. To get smaller video file size, lower down video resolution, video bit rate, video framerate. If you only need part of the video, just trim out unwanted parts to compress video without losing quality.

5. Does VLC compress video?

Yes. VLC Media Player can work as free video compressor software. It enables users to compress videos by downscaling video resolution, lowering down video btrate, trimming video length, and downsizing audio video recording. However, VLC doesn't focus on video compression, the hidden features are not easy to handle. The media player doesn't directly cut video length. To get a part of a video, you have to record the video clip. It doesn't offer various video format output, which is a also a disadvantage, compared to other professional video compression software.

6. Online video compressor or desktop softare, which is better?

There are many good online video compressing sites, such as Clipchamp, YouCompress, Convert.Files, FreeConvert, and more. But they often come with various limits. For example, some support compressing MP4 and AVI, some others allow 500MB only. They are not versatile and reliable as the desktop software. They are the best choice for those who have couple of videos to compress and don't want to install a program.

7. Does Windows 10 have a video compression utility?

Yes, Windows 10 includes a built-in video compression utility called "Video Editor." The Video Editor app allows you to edit and compress videos directly within Windows 10 without the need for additional software. Open the Start menu and search for "Video Editor." Click on the "Video Editor" app in the search results to open it.