Avidemux vs HandBrake (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Avidemux grades higher than HandBrake: 3.0 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Avidemux grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Avidemux
Free open-source editor for simple video cutting and encoding
Which one is for you
Pick Avidemux if
- Fits if you only need to trim or re-encode a file
- Works for people who want a free tool on any desktop system
Look elsewhere if
- Too light for real editing, as it has no multitrack timeline or effects
- Watch out: the site's latest news item is release 2.8.1 from September 2022
- Watch out: the site is sparse, with documentation on a separate wiki and forum
- Skip it if you want a phone or web version, as it runs on computers only
Pick HandBrake if
- Fits if you need to shrink or convert video files and don't want to pay
- Works for people who run batches of files overnight
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want to edit, as it doesn't combine clips
- Skip it if your video is copy-protected, because it doesn't work with DRM
- Watch out: supported hardware starts at 16 GB of memory for 1080p and 32 GB for 4K
- Tight if you want a phone or browser version, since it's desktop only
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAAvidemuxVery good | 2.8GPAHandBrakeGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open-source, with no paid tier anywhere. | AFree and open source, with no account, and anyone can download and run it. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright, with no paid tier to buy into. | ANothing to pay for at any point, with no caps or watermark mentioned. |
| Features | CIt cuts, filters and encodes fully, but that is a smaller job: no multitrack timeline or effects. | CConverts most formats with AV1, H.265 and H.264, presets, filters, subtitles and a queue. It does that job fully, but it's a smaller job than a video editor, and it can't combine clips. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but it is a program you install and start using with nothing to set up. | CNo store rating on record. Encoder and quality settings have a learning curve beyond the presets. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows, Mac and Linux, but a program for computers only. | CDesktop only: Windows, Mac and Linux, plus a command-line version. |
| Best for | simple video cutting and re-encoding | converting video files for free |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Avidemux and HandBrake. How we grade
Price against what you get
Avidemux has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. HandBrake has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
Avidemux scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other screen recording and video tools on the chart, none scores higher than Avidemux for less, and none scores higher than HandBrake for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- HandBrake also covers file compression.
At a glance
| Avidemux | HandBrake | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Avidemux project | The HandBrake Team |
| Price read from | avidemux.sourceforge.net | handbrake.fr |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Avidemux
- The project site lists its latest news item as release 2.8.1 from September 2022.
- It is built for simple edits, not multitrack timelines or effects work.
- The vendor site is sparse; documentation sits on a separate wiki and forum.
HandBrake
- It converts video only; the project says it does not combine clips, so editing needs other software.
- It does not work with DRM-protected video or copy-protected discs.
- Officially supported hardware starts at 16 GB of memory for 1080p and 32 GB for 4K.
Key features
Avidemux
- Cutting
- Designed for simple cutting of video, the main task the project describes.
- Filtering
- Applies video filters as part of its filtering tasks.
- Encoding
- Re-encodes video, which the project lists alongside cutting and filtering as its core jobs.
- Projects and job queue
- Saves work as projects and runs jobs from a queue so repeated tasks can be automated.
- Scripting
- Has scripting capabilities for automating tasks.
- Cross-platform
- Available for Linux, BSD, Mac OS X and Windows.
HandBrake
- Format conversion
- Converts most common video files, plus DVD and Blu-ray sources without copy protection, to MP4, MKV or WebM.
- Wide encoder choice
- Video encoders include AV1, H.265, H.264, VP8 and VP9, with optional hardware-accelerated encoding.
- Device presets
- Built-in presets for phones, tablets, TVs and consoles, with basic and advanced settings to adjust them.
- Quality and filters
- Constant quality or average bitrate encoding, plus deinterlacing, denoise, cropping and scaling filters.
- Subtitles, chapters and audio
- Handles VobSub, closed captions, SSA and SRT subtitles, chapter markers and audio passthrough for several formats.
- Queue and command line
- Batch scan and queue several encodes, and a separate command-line version is offered for download.
Plans
Avidemux
Free$0
Free to download and use under the GNU GPL.
HandBrake
Free$0
Free and open source, with no account required; installers for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Avidemux or HandBrake?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Avidemux and HandBrake are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Avidemux or HandBrake?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Avidemux and HandBrake have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.